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Affordable housing was “an absolute key priority” declared Gill Steward of Cornwall Council on Thursday (24 September) at St Ives. And a great deal of work needs to be done.
Speaking at the annual review of the Penwith Housing Association (PHA) at the Tregenna Castle Hotel, Mrs Steward, the county’s Corporate Director of Communities, said they had brought together the activities of the seven district councils, with its challenges, to do it more effectively.
Good housing brought good communities and it was essential to work in partnership with housing groups and local councils. In a wide-ranging review of the challenges and priorities she said Cornwall had an estimated need for 2,324 homes – and the last five years had seen a doubling of delivery but still only 759 homes were provided last year.
“We have 18,000 people seeking housing”. A new housing strategy was being developed. Cornwall was the third biggest landlord in the South West with 10,700 properties housing 30,000 people, assets worth over £1 billion and an annual turnover of nearly £35 million.
The Council was the biggest employer in the county and responsible for spending a budget of more than £1 billion every year. The Council’s property budget for 2010-11 was £3.8 million or 80-100 homes. Government investment was to be reduced, she commented. Only £17 million was ring-fenced for Cornwall up to 2011 – which would, she expected, deliver only 361 homes in the next two years. Strategic priorities were to deliver new affordable housing, achieve decent homes, find smarter housing solutions and create sustainable communities. The strategic version was “to ensure that an adequate supply of new affordable housing of all types and tenures is delivered to address the needs of people in housing need within Cornwall and ensure a better balance in the local housing market”. Mrs Steward remarked.
They also wished to reduce the number of vulnerable households living in non-decent homes in the private sector. Housing need would remain; there was uncertainty surrounding all investment routes; there was no one solution to meeting need and it was really important to work collectively. Without public subsidy there was an increased dependence on private sector housing development, she added.
The theme ‘better homes, better places, better lives’ was the vision expressed by Andy Moore, PHA Chief Executive, as he detailed the past year of the Association in Cornwall and what the future may hold. There had been tremendous progress with the long-term and huge multi-million pound ‘Decent Homes’ improvement programme. They had spent almost £3.5 million this year on highly rated work at Treneere (Penzance), Marazion and St Erth. “We are well on the way to meeting the 2010 deadline” he remarked.
Environmental efficiency had brought national recognition with awards. During the year 284 new homes had come into PHA management. In the current economic climate they had taken the opportunity to acquire extra homes from private builders, with the clear benefit of partnership with the Devon and Cornwall Housing Association.
“We have made the biggest contribution by any landlord in Cornwall towards housing need. We are working from Sennen to Millbrook with new homes”. The Cornish waiting list had fallen by 7% but there were still 18,000 registered. Mr Moore stressed the value of co-operation with residents through neighbourhood schemes such as the ‘Treneere Together partnership’.
Efficiency savings had given them the opportunity to appoint an extra community worker and make small-scale local improvements to be agreed by residents. They had invested in staff training and were now rated in the top 3% ‘Investors in People’ in the country receiving a ‘customer services’ excellence award. With an ageing population the Association had spent £250,000 on 240 adaptations to individual homes. It was important to gain more grants for this work to ensure that they could be progressed in a timely manner.
Co-operation with the fire service had involved a number of initiatives aimed at achieving a reduction in the number of kitchen fires. “We have had a promising start from the new Cornwall Council and they have made it clear housing has a high priority” Mr Moore added. “They are committed to continue the work of the past and improving the quality of life – but difficult budget decisions lie ahead of them. One of my great concerns is that vital grant funding from the Housing Corporation will not be enough to make a great impact on the housing waiting list”
Gail Hunt, the PHA Chair, who welcomed the large number attending, said Norman Emberson had been elected tenant Board member for the North constituency. She presented the gardening cup to Mrs Ellen Edwards (St Buryan) who also won the best sheltered garden section. Other winners were: best general needs garden (Mr L H Thomas, Marazion), best vegetable garden (Mr M Putt, Penzance) and best ‘flat garden’ (Mrs A H Blewett, Penzance).
Mrs Hunt thanked the judges, Carol Bosworth and Sue Mitchell and said a certificate and cheque for the ‘residents suggestion scheme’ went to Mr Paul Smith of St Erth who suggested regenerating communal areas with planting schemes.
