Labour’s housing waiting list scam – Freedom of Information request submitted

click to access

A Freedom of Information request has been submitted aimed at getting to the bottom of the recent drop in the number of people on the social housing waiting list in York.

The number on the list fell from over 4600 families at the beginning of September, to only 2200 in October. No new social housing developments were completed for occupation during that period.

It turned out that a behind closed doors decision had been taken to kick more than half of the applicants off the list.

We now understand that most of these were deemed to be people who did not have a real housing need and who had not applied for any of the homes advertised during the previous 12 months.

Of the others, 140 were already homeowners and 187 had no local connection while 13 had no local connection and were also homeowners

57 applicants had their application banding changed from Gold to Silver.
The Council has to respond within 28 days to the FOI request.
The request seeks details of how the decision was taken, when and by whom.

It asks the Council what consultation was undertaken.

It seeks more information about the categories of people who have been thrown off the register.

Labour fiddle York housing waiting list figures

Cabinet member orders that 2400 residents be taken off list

Earlier in the week a report, which is being presented to the York Council “Cabinet”, claimed that the numbers on the Housing waiting list had more than halved in 6 months.

click for source document

The report showed that only 2420 are now registered on the list – down from 4692 at the end of March.

4692 was the figure quoted by Labour to justify their plans to build 22,000 additional homes over the next 15 years, mainly on green belt land next to the City.

No explanation was given for this phenomenal reduction which was simply labelled as a “decrease”.

It was all the more surprising as, since Labour took control of the Council the supply of new “affordable” homes, has tailed off.

It now turns out that the change has been achieved simply by taking people off the list who Labour Councillors feel are not in housing need.

These include all those in the so called “bronze” category.

This is another decision that has been taken without any consultation and behind closed doors. It has not been widely publicised since it was introduced about 4 weeks ago..

No doubt Labour hoped, nearer the next Council elections, to announce that they had “solved” York’s housing problems.

Electors are not so easily fooled.

It is time that the Council ordered a public scrutiny review of the way in which the North Yorkshire housing waiting list has been massaged.

Some of the revised criteria that are now being applied will win general support (listed below).

Many however will find this new example of secrecy a sinister development.

The key changes are listed below.

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House prices in York

Shelter has issued another report claiming that there are not enough “affordable” homes for families to buy in York.

This is probably true but not to the extent that is claimed.

As with much other research data the figures are bedevilled by the use of average income figures.

It matters little what percentage of properties on the market are “affordable”. The key figure is the gross number available.

The key to whether there are “enough” affordable homes for sale rests with much more simple question.

What income would a family with 2 children need to be able to afford to buy a 2 or 3 bedroomed property in the City?

Foxwood Lane to rent

Terrington Court to rent

Front Street to rent

Crombie Avenue for sale

Hatfield Walk to buy

Bramham Avenue to buy

There are numerous properties currently advertised for under £100,000 in York. Most are, however, flats and are unlikely to appeal to families. (click images right and left for details)

• The cheapest 2 bedroomed house is advertised at £112,500 (Bramham Avenue)

• A similar 2 bed terrace in Kingsway West is advertised for £116,995.

• The cheapest 3 bedroomed house is available in Hatfield Walk for £124,950.

• A 3 bedroomed property in Barkston Close will cost £130,000

• The cheapest 4 bedroomed property can be found in Crombie Avenue for £165,000.

• A 4 bedroomed bungalow in Coniston Close in Rawcliffe is advertised at £177,000

• The cheapest 5 bedroomed property can be found in Osbaldwick Lane for £200,000.

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• On the rental market a 2 bed terrace on Front Street can be had for £495 pcm

• The cheapest 3 bedroomed property is in Terrington Court in Strensall

• The cheapest 4 bedroomed property available to rent can be found on Foxwood Lane at £750 pcm.

It is the price of (privately) rented property that is the biggest issue in York at present.

This is partly influenced by the boom in student lets.

A number of new student halls of residence have recently been given planning permission in the City including the Press site.

There has been a boom in planning applications this year with many brownfield sites set to produce many more homes than were included in the draft Local Plan assumptions.

Draft private housing strategy open for comment

City of York Council’s is consulting on its plans for privately rented accommodation in the City.

The private sector housing strategy will be shared amongst landlords, stakeholders, tenants and partners. With 85 per cent of all homes in York either privately owned or rented, this plan will impact on a significant proportion of the community.

White Swan

Earlier this year and in anticipation of the strategy, the council has supported property owners to return or convert buildings back into domestic use – notably the White Swan – as well as helping home owners and landlords and tenants cut fuel bills and maximise energy efficiency.

However the Council Leadership has recently repeated its opposition to converting retail accommodation into residential.

The council has been developing a new landlord accreditation scheme called YorProperty to help raise standards of rented accommodation, which will be a focus of the Landlord’s Fair on 17 October (part of Housing Week) when the draft will also be presented to those attending.

Views of the strategy are now needed. Feedback will be used to shape the final strategy due for publication in the New Year. Complete the short questionnaire at www.york.gov.uk/housingweek The closing date for feedback is 22 November 2014.
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Council tenants unhappy with York Council as performance slips

Tenant satisfaction with the way that the Council runs its housing operation has fallen over the last year.

A report, produced by the newly-formed “Tenant Scrutiny Panel”, looks at how the council has performed in the previous 12 months.

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On most measures the Councils performance has declined.

• The number of tenants satisfied with repairs and maintenance fell from 85% to 82% while satisfaction with “the general condition of their home” fell from 83% to 81%.

• Only 55% of tenant adaptations were completed on time compared to 85% the previous year.

• Tenants satisfied with the standard of their new homes fell from 66% to 60%.

• There was an improvement in the time taken to relet empty properties although at 25 days this was worse than is achieved by several other Councils.

• Tenants satisfied with ”involvement in management & decisions” fell from 53% to 51%

• Tenants satisfied with” the outcome of their complaint” was only 34% compared to a target of 70%

• It took longer to remove graffiti.

• Nine out of 10 tenants responding to the Tenant Satisfaction Survey were satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live.

The results mirror the growing dissatisfaction levels revealed by the Councils more general “big survey” the results of which were revealed last month.

To view the full report click here

Small Changes, Big Savings – Acomb Explore money event on Monday 14th October,

People across York are being invited to boost their financial know-how in a series of events designed to help people make savings, get more out of the internet and make the banks work better for them.

A series of seven Small Changes, Big Savings sessions are being held at different venues across the city during York’s Housing Week, from 14-18 October, which is looking at ways to overcome poverty.

The ‘Small Changes, Big Savings’ events held across the city will be at:

• •Acomb Explore on Monday 14 October, 9:30-11:30am •

•Bell Farm Social Hall on Tuesday 15 October, 10am-12 noon when we’ll be launching our anti loan shark charter

• •Clements Hall on 15 October 1:30-3:30pm;

• •Sanderson Court on Wednesday 16 October, 9:30-11:30am

• •Foxwood Community Centre on Thursday 17 October, 9:30-11am

• •Tang Hall on 17 October, 2-4pm

• •Burton Stone Community Centre, on Friday 18 October, 1-3pm.

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Foxwood residents announce coffee morning and “drop in”

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Only 53 new “affordable rent” properties in pipeline for York

The Council have admitted that only 53 new properties with “affordable rents” are likely to be constructed in the City during the next 3 years.

Of these, 35 are currently under construction

YMCA building site

They are located at
• YWCA site, currently under construction: 23
• Elvington rural exception site, currently under construction: 12
• White Swan, to be started 2013-4, 18.

These will be the first affordable rent homes constructed since 2010.

This compares to the (cheaper) “social housing” rent programme which has seen 297 properties completed since 2010.

This total includes the additional Council houses which were given the go ahead by the last LibDem Council administration.

NB. The Council have been criticised for not publishing its Annual Monitor Report. Some data on the Council web site is now nearly 2 years out of date. Particular interest focuses around the progress being made by the Council in providing “affordable” homes against its targets. The lack of progress is likely to be raised at the Council meeting which is taking place on 10th October

Fewer York residents apply for housing payments.

The Council’s expenditure on discretionary housing payments has been below expected levels so far this year.

In York, the Council budgeted for payments of up to £286,409 for the current financial year.

So far only a little over £36,000 had been paid out to 209 applicants.

69 applicants were found not to qualify for the payments.

The figures – obtained in response to a Freedom of Information request – are at odds with the dire “gloom and doom” warnings issued by Labour Councillors to the media earlier in the summer.

Details of the York Councils housing benefits policy, together with an application form for DHP, can be read by clicking here

NB. Each local council is given a pot of money each year to help people who qualify for housing benefit (or similar help under universal credit) but are having trouble:

• paying their rent or

• finding enough money to pay for the start-up costs of a tenancy.

When the money for the year runs out, no more payments can be made.

The government has increased the amount of money available to help some people to adjust to cuts to benefits in recent years.

The council decides who should be given the payments, how much and how often they are paid. Discretionary housing payments (DHP) may be paid weekly or can be a lump sum. They can also be backdated.