Threat to York Council housing

It looks like Tory Councillors are following up their threat to demolish many Council house in York.

Council house buildingThe idea was first raised in February in a report that was rushed through the Council with little debate and no consultation.

Now an item has been placed in the Council’s forward plan which lists upcoming decisions.

It includes another opaque statement which is bound to cause concern amongst tenants. A report will recommend that the Council undertakes “a full housing stock options appraisal and at the same time develop tenant and staff panels and establish an ad-hoc cross party member scrutiny panel to consider the long term sustainability of the service and assess the different organisational governance models to support the final decision making process”.

So 15 years after tenants in York decisively rejected a move, which would have seen their homes transferred to a housing association, it looks like the idea is being revived.

For a while the neo privatisation of Council housing was a key Labour party policy. It saw several authorities in the  1990’s transfer their housing stock to housing associations. Some were relatively successful but they were outnumbered by many which completely lost contact with their tenants. Lack of accountability became -and still is – a major issue in some Cities.  So called “Arms Length Management Organisations” have fared little better.

In York tenants decisively voted to remain with the Council.

While we have not been impressed with several aspects of the management of Council housing in the City over the last 5 years, we believe that a shake up in the people involved will lead to improvements.

Some communal areas are neglected by housing managers in York

Some communal areas are neglected by housing managers in York

Problems can be traced to a lack of attention to detail particularly in communal area maintenance and estate improvements.

Housing standards are generally good. Even the system built homes – the target of Tory criticism in February – continue to provide accommodation which is regarded as satisfactory by most occupants.

The housing account has built up a £20 million surplus although it continues to carry a £120 million historic debt burden.  Council house sale levels – even after recent increases to discount rates – remain modest.

However, the Council may have to contribute towards the costs involved in the present governments scheme to discount the sale of resident’s association properties.

Successive councils have failed to use funding streams such as the new homes bonus to pay for additional Council homes. They have failed to supplement stocks by buying on the open market when prices are favourable.

The Council has in recent years also failed to support local Residents Associations and is now even  consulting on reducing their influence on the use of the annual estate improvement budget.

Weaker tenant representation will make it easier for politicians to impose drastic change without proper discussion.

A meeting to discuss the – currently secret – plans will take place on 13th October.

The distribution of Council houses in York by ward is:

Ward

No Council houses
Acomb

398

Bishopthorpe

66

Clifton

891

Copmanthorpe

41

Dringhouses

414

Fishergate

143

Fulford

120

Guildhall

723

Heworth

1258

Holgate

447

Hull Rd

698

Micklegate

568

Osbaldwick

78

Rawcliffe

19

Rural West

95

Westfield

1717

Wheldrake

44

TOTAL

7720

We also understand that a meeting on 29th September is likely to look again at the discredited plan to develop the garage site to the rear of Newbury Avenue.

Hob Stones planning application changes now on York Council web site

Details of the proposed changes to the Hob Stones development on Windsor Garth can now be found on the Council’s web site

The planning application can be read by clicking here

An explanation for the proposed changes from the builder can be found by clicking here

Residents have until 9th August to record any objections.

Unfortunately, the applicant appears to have attempted to drown the application in a sea of documentation much of which replicates the papers submitted 3 years ago. Hopefully the Council will reorder the papers to make it clearer just precisely what changes are being proposed.

click to access

click to access

Executive snubs Lowfields residents

The York Council is to consult residents on a plan to build on most of the former Lowfields school site.

Former Lowfields School

Former Lowfields School entrance

Last night members of the committee and officials refused to acknowledge the concerns about the plan which were tabled by local Councillor Andrew Waller.

The committee had been told of the results of a survey undertaken in the area over the last week (see foot of page).

The survey results – covering over 300 households – revealed that the community was dismayed at some of the remarks contained in an officer report.

In particular:

Labour first suggested building on football pitches in 2012

Labour Councillors first considered building on the football pitches in 2012. 

  • The suggestion that any development should be “piecemeal”. Residents have no desire to see construction traffic accessing the site over an extended period of time and are fearful that the maintenance standards that will apply to any undeveloped plots will be inadequate. They want to see an early completion of the whole of the site
  • The inclusion of any “hospital”, police depot or GP surgery all of which would have an impact on 24/7 traffic volumes, put more pressure on parking spaces and bring noise and disturbance to what is otherwise an entirely residential area.  Residents say that any “hub” facilities – such as a police desk – should be located at the Library on Front Street (where there is adequate expansion potential to the rear of the existing buildings)
  • The reduction in open space to less than ½ the area of a football pitch is unacceptable.  Residents want green space and want part of it to be allocated as a site for a nature reserve (lack of maintenance had de facto already effectively turned parts of the site into a wild life area over the last decade). Several have said that they would like to see a play park established.
  • Building high density houses would exacerbate parking problems. Such problems are acute at the quoted paradigm comparator location (the top of Tedder Road). Bungalows and older persons (downsizing) apartments would be more acceptable as the number of vehicles owned by occupants of this type of property is likely to be low,

Many residents say that they hoped that the Council would agree to honour its historic commitment to the local community and restrict development to a 6.5 acre site.

Lowfields survey results

More delays at Windsor Garth “Hob Stones” development

Hobstones building workThe media are reporting that there will be further delays before the “Hob Stones” development will be occupied. The development, located on the former Our Lady’s school site next to Hob Moor, has been branded the unluckiest development in Yorkshire.

The school closed in 2012

The high density development was subject to objections from local residents and amenity groups when it sought planning permission in 2013.

Building work started in May 2014.

Still no sign of repair to the carriageway in Windsor Garth

Still no sign of repair to the carriageway in Windsor Garth

Later the appointed building contractors went bust adding another 18 months to the development timetable.

Now it appears that some of the houses, and an access road, have not been built in the correct positions.  Although the variances are claimed to be very small it means that a retrospective planning application will be needed to regularise the situation.

This will mean a further delay of about 3 months before the homes are occupied.

The development has been heavily criticised by neighbouring residents who have lived with a “nightmare” of poorly parked vehicles, road damage and congestion caused by building trucks for the last three years.

At the time of writing no revised planning application had been submitted by the developers Yorkshire Housing to the York Council.

Homeless households reduce as prevention measures continue

Rough sleeper number up on target in November

Rough-sleeper-London-006A report on homelessness shows that despite the pressures of the Boxing Day Floods, numbers of temporarily homeless people were lower than forecast.

This and other outcomes will be presented to the Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities on 18 July at 3pm, along with proposed targets and priorities for 2016/17.

In 2015/16 the council exceeded its target and reduced the number in temporary accommodation to 53. Statutory homelessness also continues to reduce with 91 cases in York in 2015/16 (an 11.6 per cent decrease on the previous year) which is in contrast to a national increase of 5.8 per cent. Added to that, 630 homeless prevention cases were successfully handled that year which the report recognises as a vital part of the service and significantly contributes to the reduction in statutory homelessness.

Providing bed and breakfast for families is recognised as a measure of last resort and then for no more than six weeks. As of the end of March 2016, there was only one household accommodated in bed and breakfast and this was not a family.

In addition, the council’s highly-successful Older Persons Housing Specialist exceeded targets by supporting older residents to meet their changing housing needs, and the service has been extended for a further six months.

Despite ongoing work, the commitment of agencies, continued resources and new flexible methods of working, the number of rough sleepers in York rose to 18 in November 2015.

York’s ongoing interventions by the council and partners – including Arc Light and the Salvation Army – means that the city has the resources to accommodate longer-term homeless people meaning that no-one need sleep rough in York. The city’s No Second Night Out scheme also helps rough sleeper in the city to find a place in a hostel.

The advice available to residents include work around mental health and housing to help people at risk to secure and maintain tenancies, while infrastructure improvements are being proposed for the Ordnance Lane temporary accommodation site.

National changes bring new challenges into social housing which could lead to the reduction in available affordable housing for rent which is likely to place additional pressures on the service.

Surprise news as Lowfields development takes a step forward

Council confirms that it wants to build on football pitches
Lowfields care village 2011 plans - now substantially changed

Lowfields care village 2011 plans – now substantially changed

It looks like an elderly persons care home could still be built on the Lowfields school site. In the latest of a series of policy changes the Council is now being recommended to allocate 3 acres, of the 13.4 acre site, for a private sector care home. This compares to the 6.4 acres allocated 6 years ago for the construction of an elderly persons “village”. Only the footprint of the old school would have been developed under the old plan. That scheme was eventually dropped when the Council decided to concentrate investment on the east of the City at Burnholme.

We welcome the decision to provide more elderly care facilities on the west of the City. The former school site is ideal being conveniently located for the full range of amenities which can be found in the Front Street area.

The rest of the site – including most of the open space/football pitches – would have houses built on it. Currently the football pitches are used by a local team. There is a shortage of pitches (and open space) on the west of the City, although the Council hopes to find a new pitch for the team in the Tadcaster Road area. (A football pitch takes up about 2 acres of land).

The Council plans to divide up the use of the Lowfields site as follows:

  • Care Home and health 3 acres (22%)
  • Housing 9 acres (67%)
  • Open space 1.4 acres (11%)

In total 137 homes would be built. This compares to the 210 homes in the existing Lowfields estate. Officials say that the homes would be “high density” quoting the top of Tedder Road as an example of similar recently constructed houses. Those homes, although popular, do suffer from some issues such as the lack of car parking space. Some are three storeys high.

Officials promise a mix of housing types including “starter homes”, bungalows (like those in Regent Street) and apartments targeted at older people “downsizing” to smaller accommodation. Some land may be allocated for “self build” homes. Access to some of the homes would be from Tudor Road (meaning a road link between numbers 108 & 110). The footpath/cycle link to little Tudor Road would also be reopened.

The report talks of providing health and wellbeing facilities and hints that the Priory Health Centre on Cornlands Road may close and move onto the site.

There is talk of some police activities transferring from York Road to the site. It is now clear that the police intend to sell off the Acomb police station.  If this facilitated the provision of a police desk on Front Street at the library, then that may be regarded as a step forward. Especially so if the derelict land to the rear of the library were developed as part of the project.

Site has been unused since 2007

Site has been unused since 2007

Putting a police office in the middle of an elderly person’s development could be viewed as a strange move increasing as it would the amount of traffic and noise in the area. (There is a similar criticism of the NHS proposal to establish a mental health hospital on the site).

One particular concern likely to be raised by local residents is that officials want to see the development of the site on a “piecemeal” basis. That could mean building works (and the associated heavy traffic) being a burden for local residents for many years. It would seem to be more sensible to agree a blue-print for the whole of the site and then sell it on the basis that completion must be achieved within an agreed timetable.

At the moment the opening date for the care home is put at 2019.

When consulted in 2010 local residents were strongly in favour of restricting development to the footprint of the school. Most wanted the open space to be preserved although there was support for a nature reserve and/or allotments on part of the site.

So there is mixed news here. The future of the Lowfields site may finally be determined and the preferred use – supported by residents responding to surveys in 2010 – of a development aimed at older people achieved.  But the Council, in a bid to increase the value of the site to £3.8 million, seems prepared to jettison some of the assurances it give when the school closed in 2007.

Some serious consultation with affected residents is now needed.
(more…)

Action taken in Foxwood and Chapelfields

The style access to the Public Right of Way across Acomb Moor has become unstable. We've asked for it to be repaired.

The stile access to the Public Right of Way across Acomb Moor has become unstable. We’ve asked for it to be repaired.

Recent wet/sunny weather has accelerated the growth of hedges in the area. These in Westfield Place are now impeding a right of way.

Recent wet/sunny weather has accelerated the growth of hedges in the area. These in Westfield Place are now impeding a right of way.

We've asked for urgent attention to the trees in Burgess walk following more branches falling into gardens and onto the public footpath. This looks to be a developing public safety issue . Cllr. Andrew Waller is following the issue up

We’ve asked for urgent attention to the trees in Burgess Walk following more branches falling into gardens and onto the public footpath. This looks to be a developing public safety issue. It was raised at the Foxwood Residents Association meeting 6 weeks ago.  Cllr. Andrew Waller is following the issue up

We've asked for detritus to be cleared from around the traffic island build outs in Chapelfields

We’ve asked for detritus to be cleared from around the traffic island build outs in Chapelfields

We've again asked for the Grange Lane Chapelfields Road garage snicket to be cleared of detgritus

We’ve again asked for the Grange Lane/Chapelfields Road garage snicket to be cleared of detritus

Marston Avenue garage area has still not been cleaned up and resurfaced. We've registered a formal complaint

Marston Avenue garage area has still not been cleaned up and resurfaced. We’ve registered a formal complaint

We're surprised that the gutters in Hammerton Close weren't cleaned when we reported them 3 months ago. We've asked for management action

We’re surprised that the gutters in Hammerton Close weren’t cleaned when we reported them 3 months ago. We’ve asked for management action

Seems the weed growth on footpaths in Walton Place hasn't received attention yet. We've asked for the weedkilling team to return

Seems the weed growth on footpaths in Walton Place hasn’t received attention yet. We’ve asked for the weedkilling team to return

We use https://www.fixmystreet.com/ to report issues

Council house account makes huge £4.3 million surplus in York

The Housing Revenue Account was budgeted to make a surplus of £2,624k in 2015/16.

A report to a meeting taking place today says the estimates were badly wrong

“There has been an overspend of £639k on repairs and maintenance, mainly due to the use of sub-contractors for high value repairs to resolve damp issues at a number of properties.

Mixed views from tenants on housing services in York

Mixed views from tenants on housing services in York

This was offset by a number of underspends in

  • general maintenance (£72k),
  • the painting programme (£150k)
  • decoration allowances (£49k) plus
  • £178k on utilities,
  • £436k from delays in capital schemes that are funded from revenue,
  • £248k lower than budgeted cost of capital,
  • £107k of additional interest income and
  • £257k from lower than budgeted levels of arrears and bad debts.

This resulted in an overall surplus of £4,344k and therefore an underspend of £1,720k”.

Tenants area likely to be unhappy.

There have been complaints about poor maintenance standards on some amenity and garage areas while requests for improved car parking provision on many estates are taking an excessive time to process.

The Council needs to tackle these issues quickly now that it has the funds available

Garage areas are neglected in many estates

Garage areas are neglected in many estates

York Council to discuss “Private Sector Housing Strategy”

rural-housingCity of York Council’s Private Sector Housing Strategy has been reviewed and refreshed following the publication of new evidence, the results of recent council and Government consultation, discussion at the council’s recent health and housing summit and feedback from a council Scrutiny Committee. The strategy is now being submitted for approval, alongside the outcome of the previous strategy 2008-13, to Executive on 30 June 2016, it takes account of:

The new evidence base for private sector stock from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) – including a Health Impact Assessment – has been added to the strategy to ensure it focuses on the issues causing the most impact on the health of the occupants and on maintaining and managing private sector rented housing to a high standard.

The recent government consultation on extending Houses in  Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing, the council’s response to that together with its own proposed approach towards HMO licensing has also been updated in the report. Comments and views made by members of the Private Sector Strategy steering group and of the Scrutiny Committee which met on 9May 2016 to discuss this matter have been taken into consideration.

As private housing forms 86 per cent of the city’s total housing stock, the strategy has been developed with partners since 2003. Achievements during the life of the most recent strategy include: (more…)

Temporary accomodation plan for Acomb elderly persons home site

Acomb residents invited to Oakhaven redevelopment event

Oakhaven

Oakhaven

Residents and businesses in the Acomb Road area of the city are being invited to find out more about the short and long term plans for the redevelopment of the former Oakhaven Older People’s Home next week (Tuesday 28 June).

The Councils plans for the Lowfields school site are expected to be published tomorrow

The council’s longer term plans for the site will see the creation of a new Extra Care facility for older people in the Acomb area: part of the authority’s Older People’s Accommodation Project which aims to secure high quality accommodation to meet the needs of York’s ageing population.

If approved, the flexible accommodation will enable residents, including those with complex care needs such as dementia, to live independently in their own homes on the site, with on-site personal care available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, should they need it.

The authority will shortly begin the process to find a partner to develop the facility at Oakhaven and in 2017 will seek planning consent for the new building.

In the immediate short term, the council is proposing to use the building as accommodation for up to 15 local families and individuals who need temporary accommodation. The facility will be managed by on-site staff seven days a week and the proposals will be subject to planning consent.

Local residents are being invited to attend the drop-in event next Tuesday (21 June) at Oakhaven between 4-7pm to find out more about the short and long term plans for the site.

Visit www.york.gov.uk/OPAplans for more information.