On the House - Special Edition (b&w)
2
housing news for Winchester City Council tenants and leaseholders If you or a neighbour needs a printed copy contact Customer Service Centre on 01962 840 222 house Winchester City Council has apologised to tenants after being forced to make cutbacks in its repairs and renovations programme to meet shortfalls in Council housing budgets. Councillors reluctantly agreed to reduce the modernisation plans after hearing the Council was still required to give over £8m to the Government in subsidy despite the £3m shortfall in its own budget. Cllr Tony Coates, Housing Portfolio Holder, has condemned the policy in a letter to Government Housing Minister Margaret Beckett. Members of Cabinet heard [on Wednesday 10 December 2008] that Winchester’s Councillors, Officers and Tenants had all called on the Government to give them more local control of rents and warned: “Without this, it is difficult to see how a Council Housing service can be maintained in Winchester.” Cabinet was told that Winchester City Council needed a minimum repairs budget of £9.8m to maintain the current repairs programme or a budget of £13.4m for an enhanced programme. The budget is £6.7m. Cllr Coates said: “We are in an impossible position – between the proverbial rock and a hard place – and the system is grossly unfair. “We don’t have enough money to spend on our own homes yet the Government still expects us to pay more than £8m to subsidise council houses elsewhere in the country. “I apologise to our tenants who will not get a modern kitchen, bathroom or boiler as a result.” Where are the cutbacks? The Council has to save £3m and areas affected are: Gas Fired Heating Systems – About half of the boiler replacement programme will need to be deferred. Disabled Adaptations - There will be a backlog of about 80 cases by the end of March 2009. External Repairs & Painting - Only essential repairs and repainting will be carried out to the 1100 properties programmed per year. Internal Redecoration - The entire programme of approximately 350 properties and communal areas will be deferred until further notice. Kitchen & Bathroom Programme - It is estimated that 150 kitchens and 200 bathrooms will not be replaced between now and March 2010. Empty Properties – Less money will be available to renovate these. Pvcu Window Replacement Programme – About half of the window replacement programme – about 40 properties – will be deferred to a later date. house Government subsidy causes cutbacks for tenants Contact details telephone 01962 840 222 fax 01962 841 365 email [email protected] website www.winchester.gov.uk Telephone calls may be recorded. Government Policy The Government has accepted that the national Housing Revenue Account system is outdated and will announce its review of the system in spring 2009. Rent Rise Councillors have approved an average rent rise of 6.14 per cent or £5 per week, which takes the average rent to £86.35 from April 2009. There will be more on this in the next full edition of On The House in March 2009. Special Edition December 2008
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Housing news for the Winchester City Council Tenants and Leaseholders - Special Edition. (black and white printer friendly version)
Transcript of On the House - Special Edition (b&w)
housing news for Winchester City Council tenants and leaseholders
If you or a neighbour needs a printed copy contactCustomer Service Centre on 01962 840 222
houseWinchester City Council hasapologised to tenants after beingforced to make cutbacks in its repairsand renovations programme to meetshortfalls in Council housing budgets.
Councillors reluctantly agreed toreduce the modernisation plans afterhearing the Council was still requiredto give over £8m to the Governmentin subsidy despite the £3m shortfall inits own budget.
Cllr Tony Coates, Housing PortfolioHolder, has condemned the policy in aletter to Government Housing MinisterMargaret Beckett.
Members of Cabinet heard [onWednesday 10 December 2008] thatWinchester’s Councillors, Officers andTenants had all called on theGovernment to give them more localcontrol of rents and warned: “Withoutthis, it is difficult to see how a CouncilHousing service can be maintained inWinchester.”
Cabinet was told that Winchester CityCouncil needed a minimum repairsbudget of £9.8m to maintain thecurrent repairs programme or abudget of £13.4m for an enhancedprogramme. The budget is £6.7m.
Cllr Coates said: “We are in animpossible position – between theproverbial rock and a hard place –and the system is grossly unfair.
“We don’t have enough money tospend on our own homes yet theGovernment still expects us to paymore than £8m to subsidise councilhouses elsewhere in the country.
“I apologise to our tenants who willnot get a modern kitchen, bathroomor boiler as a result.”
Where are the cutbacks?The Council has to save £3m andareas affected are:
Gas Fired Heating Systems – About half of the boiler replacementprogramme will need to be deferred.
Disabled Adaptations - There will be abacklog of about 80 cases by the endof March 2009.
External Repairs & Painting - Only essential repairs and repaintingwill be carried out to the 1100properties programmed per year.
Internal Redecoration - The entireprogramme of approximately 350properties and communal areas willbe deferred until further notice.
Kitchen & Bathroom Programme -It is estimated that 150 kitchens and200 bathrooms will not be replacedbetween now and March 2010.
Empty Properties – Less money willbe available to renovate these.
Pvcu Window ReplacementProgramme – About half of thewindow replacement programme –about 40 properties – will be deferredto a later date.
houseGovernment subsidy causes cutbacks for tenants
Contact detailstelephone 01962 840 222fax 01962 841 365email [email protected] www.winchester.gov.ukTelephone calls may be recorded.
Government PolicyThe Government has accepted thatthe national Housing RevenueAccount system is outdated andwill announce its review of thesystem in spring 2009.
Rent RiseCouncillors have approved anaverage rent rise of 6.14 per centor £5 per week, which takes theaverage rent to £86.35 from April 2009.
There will be more on this in thenext full edition of On The Housein March 2009.
Spec
ial
Editi
onDecember 2008
Tenant News
Produced by Tenants for Tenants
December 2008Produced by Tenants for Tenants special edition
TACT understands the Council’s dilemmaWinchester’s Tenants GroupTACT (Tenants and CouncilTogether) has backed theCouncil’s comments butsays it cannot endorse thecutbacks.TACT has worked closely with theCouncil to achieve the best forCouncil tenants and to provideservices to meet the Best ValueStandards.
This has been the case until now, butchanges beyond our control arecausing problems due to the negativesubsidy imposed by the Governmentwhich leaves Councils under fundedand unable to provide the level ofservices they would wish.
Tenants want afair systemCouncil tenants know that everypossible avenue is being explored bylocal councils.
Alan Rickman, joint chair of TACT,said: If the Review of the HousingRevenue Account does not come upwith a fair system for all councils,then the Government will have amajor war with Council Tenants ontheir hands.
“The Government has to face facts,you will not drive tenants intosubmission, and into a transfer by
undue pressure regarding funding.Give us fair play.”
He added: “Affordable council homesshould be the priority of the day andwe should not be penalised bynegative subsidy and being underfunded. £8 million of our rent moneyis taken from us each year.
“The Government is in surplus of £194million this year through money takenfrom councils in negative subsidy.”
Few options opento CouncilTACT accepts that Winchester CityCouncil has few options available andrealises you are in a difficult position.
Beryl White, joint chair of TACT said:“The fault lies at the door of theGovernment.
“If TACT endorses this paper wewould be sending the wrongmessage to the Government, thatcouncil tenants are prepared to beshort changed, we are not!
“TACT however will do all we can towork with the council as much aspossible, to achieve the best forcouncil tenants.”
Alan Rickman said TACT respectedthe Head of Landlord Services,Richard Botham, and his housingofficers. He also praised Cllr TonyCoates, Housing Portfolio Holder, andthe Cabinet for their support “in our
cause for justice”.
He added: “TACT regrets having totake this stand, but like the Councilwe have no other choice, and mustmake our feelings clear. Counciltenants want a fair deal. With everincreasing rents, we should not haveto see a decline in service levels.”
Contact the TACT ChairmenAlan Rickman or Beryl White ifyou want to find out moreabout TACT or want to raiseany issues. You can call themon Freephone 0800 716 987and leave a message, or writeto them at:
� Alan Rickman, 101 TaplingsRoad, Winchester SO22 6HG
� Beryl White, 2 Pine Road, Bishops Waltham,Nr. Southampton, SO23 1EH
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