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With some 6,500 homes under its management throughout Cornwall and with tenants across the age range, we are “a very financially secure organisation with significant resources available to meet our published plans” declared the Chief Executive, Andy Moore on Thursday 25 September 2008.
Speaking at our annual review meeting at the Tregenna Castle Hotel, St Ives, Andy said that in partnership with Devon and Cornwall Housing Association (DCHA) they had provided 89 new homes for rent and 112 for shared ownership in the past year. “All these new homes are in Cornwall, with 45 rented and 25 ‘homebuy’ properties located in the Penwith district. This is part of a specific commitment from our Board to provide more affordable homes in Penwith. And the speed of re-letting had improved with a five-day turnaround quicker than last year”.
Of the giant £25 million successful Decent Homes scheme he reported that “exceptional progress” had been maintained with new kitchens and bathroom in thousands of their homes in the county. Mr Moore spoke of the PHA vision of ‘better homes, better places and better lives in Cornwall’ The Association had some 120 staff in a truly Cornwall wide operation with offices in Penzance, Truro and Liskeard who were also directly supporting around 700 of the more vulnerable residents in their own homes. £400,000 had been spend in recent years in adapting properties to special needs. He also emphasised the great value of partnerships in all they achieved. “We face changes on local government and national fronts with the merging of the Housing Corporation that provided funds. I think it will be an opportunity to build for the future and I hope the new Council will meet the housing need of the people. We are losing six district councils, each of whom had a housing champion. I want to see our new Council with a commitment to housing. We want to ensure the council sees affordable homes as a priority”.
Mark Jones the “One Cornwall” programme director said that with the new Cornwall Council there was an opportunity to address housing issues in Cornwall with a stronger and more effective voice. There was an emerging structure and framework and the expertise throughout the County could be brought together. Challenges over the next decade or more would include the increasing and ageing population, maintaining the infrastructure as well as preserving its precious environment, while keeping council taxies at an affordable level. Housing was one of the top priorities, Mr Jones stressed. There was an opportunity to have a single policy across the county and bring together expertise and resources with a single register and letting policy. The local aspect would be preserved with ‘county networks’ of town and parish councils coming together to help.
“We want to enable them to play a stronger role in how their areas are served. Twenty two towns across Cornwall would have ‘one-stop shops’ where information could be obtained and council bills paid. There would be a new website from 1st April 2009.
Guests and audience were welcomed by the PHA Chair, Gail Hunt, who also announced the results of the Tenant Board membership elections. These were: North constituency (St Ives and Hayle Area): Norman Emberson (Hayle); Central constituency (small towns and villages across the county from Bodmin to Pendeen): Mike Smith (Trewellard); South constituency (including Penzance and District): Carol Bosworth (Pendeen); Managed Homes (DCHA tenants across the County): Beth Semmons (Penzance) who replaced Frank Bowater of St Ives who did not seek re-election. All tenants were qualified to vote.
