At Home in Eastbourne - Eastbourne Borough Council

Transcription

At Home in Eastbourne
Eastbourne’s Housing Strategy 2013-2020
AT HOME IN EASTBOURNE
INTRODUCING
AT HOME IN
EASTBOURNE
E
astbourne Borough Council
(EBC) has a clear vision of
Eastbourne’s future. A better place
to live with a future based on new
high technology industry, improved holiday
and leisure attractions, faster transport links
and better homes. That means:
Helping people to be safe and secure
Making the town more prosperous
and helping everyone share in
that prosperity
Thinking ahead by listening to what
people want and don’t want and
responding to their hopes and fears
Supporting people to be at home in
the town
‘At Home in Eastbourne’ – the Council’s
housing strategy 2013 through 2020 – is
our way of helping more people to find and
keep a good home in Eastbourne. We want
to make sure that the way we encourage
investment in housing and homes supports
a strong and prosperous future for
Eastbourne.
Many older houses in Eastbourne have
been converted into flats, including
these fine looking Victorian buildings
sitting just off the seafront.
Developing our strategy
We have looked at the town’s
economy and the people who
live here
We have talked with individuals and
families, with business and estate
agents, landlords and tenants, home
buyers, those without a home, and
financiers – and used what we learned
to create this housing strategy
We have reviewed national as well
as local research to find out about
aspirations and experiences
We have considered all the resources
we have available to us
Pulling this together, we have identified four
themes for our housing strategy:
Providing homes that support
prosperity and choice
Finding and keeping a home
Improving the quality of our homes
Enjoying homes and neighbourhoods
We have made a set of commitments,
explored within each chapter, to deliver
each of the four themes:
Outcomes – what we want to see happen
in Eastbourne
TO HELP PEOPLE, BUSINESSES
AND HOUSING PROVIDERS WORK
TOGETHER, WE WILL:
Tailor and shape our housing and economic interventions in the market place,
bids for external funds and policies and services to support the four priorities
Actions – what we will do and by when
Focus our efforts and resources and encourage our partners to join us in
bringing these outcomes to life
Policies and Procedures – the day-to-day
policies, procedures and guidance needed to
make the ideas real
Consider how our actions can increase the future capacity of the Council to
help people to be at home in Eastbourne
Resources – the money, skills and
capabilities available in Eastbourne to bring
each theme to life
2
Between April 2006 and
March 2012 an average of
265 new homes were
added per year to the
town’s housing stock
In March of each year the Council will publish an Action Plan. This will say what
we will do over the following twelve months to bring to life the outcomes set out
in this strategy. We will also report on what we have done in the previous year.
3
WE ASKED WHAT PEOPLE
THOUGHT THE COUNCIL SHOULD
BE DOING ABOUT HOUSING. THEY
TOLD US WE SHOULD:
WHERE ARE
WE TODAY
Work across all tenures to improve the quality, choice and management of homes
Improve existing buildings
Provide affordable and accessible housing
Make sure privately owned properties are not left empty and are made
available for use as homes
The people
Make sure the environment is protected
We asked the community what should be priorities for Eastbourne’s housing market:
Provide family accommodation
Improve the infrastructure
Please indicate if you think the following are high, medium
or low priorites for the Eastbourne Borough Housing market.
120
22
26
66
27
28
38
69
53
50
53
40
53
81
35
32
10
10
36
Building
affordable
homes to
rent
Building
affordable
homes to buy
(shared
ownership,
shared equity)
55
47
20
Building
executive
homes
Building
homes to buy
on the open
market
A detailed review of the dynamics of the Eastbourne
housing market showed that:
Demand for homes is high – especially from
families and retired people
Estate agents emphasised the need for
affordable homes and more pro-active lending
practices, especially to help first time buyers and
unlock the market for second time movers
There is greater need for three bed room family
homes but there is a sufficient number of two
bedroom flats
31
Building
properties
designed for
older people
33
18
Building
properties
designed for
people with
specialist needs
11
Improving the
quality of
existing stock
Increasing the
availability of
the private
rented sector
The same review highlighted these factors to shape
the Council’s housing and planning policies which:
Respond to the impact of changes in the size
and the nature of the population when deciding
what homes to provide
Recognise more affordable housing is needed
with a wider range of options offering more
choices for people wanting to buy a place to live
Take account of the wider economic impact of
different tenures when deciding how to support
investment by both the Council itself and
other organisations
Take advantage of those national initiatives
– such as HomeBuy and the Local Authority
Mortgage Scheme – which support
local aspirations
4
Encourage landlords to reduce rent charges
Stylish yet discrete – one of many
executive homes in Eastbourne.
60
0
Low
Medium
4
100
80
High
Government
Finance
In the past two years the Localism Act
2011 has introduced more options for
the way social landlords can manage
their homes, allowed local council
landlords to manage their homes free
from annual Government spending
constraints and allow the Council to
promote the interests of its area.
Planning policy at a national level
through the National Planning Policy
Framework has been simplified. The
Welfare Reform Act 2012 has changed
the social security system, including
help for low income households to
meet their housing costs.
Housing developers remain happy to
develop new homes if they know they
can sell them and they can get the
financial support they need during
the early stages of development.
Social landlords are still able to provide
new affordable homes for rent and
sale but only if they can make
developments financial viable.
The financial sector has, since the
economic downturn, adopted a
risk-averse approach to lending,
both to businesses and individuals.
L
LOOKING TO
THE FUTURE
ooking ahead when deciding how
to shape and influence a local housing
market is not easy. However over the
lifetime of the strategy it is likely that:
The population will continue to
grow in number and the profile will
shift towards a greater number and
percentage of older people
The national economy is likely to
remain subdued with business
investment being held back until
economic prospects are seen to
have improved
Opportunities for well paid, full
time employment may be less than
in the past
Changes to the social security
system are may change the
incomes of low and medium
income households, whether they
are in or out of work
Incomes for the majority of people
are unlikely to rise as quickly as
the cost of accommodation or the
overall cost of living
There will be less public money
to invest in housing
Local councils may have fewer
resources but they will have
greater local ability to determine
how they use and earn resources
5
THEME ONE:
PROVIDING
HOMES THAT
SUPPORT
PROSPERITY
AND CHOICE
The shape we’re in…
M
uch of Eastbourne’s
economy is based on the
service sector. High skilled
businesses are few in
number. Although the town has a small
number of industrial estates with some
manufacturing facilities, it remains true to its
heritage as a seaside resort. In recent years,
Eastbourne has developed its role as a
centre for English language courses for
overseas students and as a conference
centre. How the town will continue to earn
a living in the future is uncertain. The need
to develop a strategy for taking forward
Eastbourne’s economic development was
highlighted in July 2012 in the Council’s
Corporate Peer Challenge. What is currently
known is that there may be growth
potential in tourism, hospitality,
care homes and retail.
Listening to Eastbourne …
“Eastbourne is a growing town and we need to
ensure there are suitable properties available to
younger people who are currently stuck at home
with their parents. The cost of rental properties
is currently far too high for many of the young
people in the town as they tend to be in low
paid jobs. I would like to see action taken to
address this in some way.”
6
Eastbourne Household Age Profile – 2033
Age of head of household
Predicted change to 2033
18-34
- 2.7%
35-64
+ 19.5%
65+
+ 66.7%
Traditional house styles, like these in Hampden Park,
are popular in Eastbourne.
Average household income in Eastbourne
in 2011 was £32,962 compared to the
average for England as a whole at £35,992
and the south east of England £40,226.
Average discretionary income in Eastbourne
was £158.55 per week and £217.42 per
week for England as a whole. This suggests
that basic living costs, with housing being
the largest element, in Eastbourne are
higher even though incomes are lower.
The unemployment rate for those aged
16-64 in Eastbourne for 2011/12 was 6.0%.
It is therefore perhaps not surprising that
Eastbourne households are feeling the pinch
a little more than many others in the south
east of England.
Eastbourne in 2011 had 47,516 homes
providing homes for 99,400 people.
The town is expected to have by 2035 a
population of 111,000 with households by
2033 expected to total 60,000. There is
predicted to be an average annual increase
between 2010 and 2033 of around 400
households. This would suggest that by
2020 Eastbourne will be home to at least
104,000 people. As well as an increase in
total households their make-up is also likely
to change, with a slight fall in younger
households but growth in middle and older
aged groups. The 35 to 64 year old group is
most likely to be made up of families with
children, young adults or other dependants
living at home. There are an estimated 6,400
Eastbourne households (16.1%) where there
is a resident with a disability. Nearly a tenth
of the population belong to non-white
minority ethnic groups. There has been since
2001 an increase in people coming to
Eastbourne from Poland and Portugal.
E
Average
household income
in Eastbourne in
2011 was £32,962
compared to the
average for
England as a
whole at £35,992
and the south
east of England
£40,226
astbourne has a strong university
campus, part of Brighton University.
We need to understand the student
accommodation offer to support the
sectors long term sustainability. We also
know that many students who come to
the town to study do not stay after
graduation. This is primarily because
the employment opportunities are
limited while housing costs can be
challenging for people at the start of
their professional careers. Eastbourne
will need to improve both the
employment opportunities and the
ability of people to start making
headway in their housing aspirations
if it is to increase the number of
graduates who can contribute
towards building a new economy
for Eastbourne.
In the future lower numbers of
people will enjoy the secure and
relatively generous pension provision
that has been a feature of much of the
post war era. This may mean less
money to spend by older people on
both general needs services and those
specifically geared at an older client
group. Future housing options for older
people may therefore need to be more
affordable in the future.
There is also a need to consider
the housing implications for today’s
younger people as they get older. It is
common for home buyers to enter
retirement without a mortgage – their
housing costs are less than those who
rent, especially those whose landlord
is private. There are long term
implications for public spending and
well being for tomorrow’s older people
if their opportunities to buy a home, or
rent from a social landlord, are limited.
7
THEME ONE:
PROVIDING HOMES
THAT SUPPORT
PROSPERITY AND
CHOICE
Between April 2006 and March 2012 an
average of 265 new homes were added per
year to the town’s housing stock. Of the
total homes built over the period, 364 were
affordable. The vacancy rate for empty
homes at 3.5% is higher than the 2.2%
recorded for the South East. Two thirds of
people own or are buying their home while
nearly a fifth rent accommodation from a
private landlord. Social housing’s share of
the housing market remains stable. Houses
in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) account for
approximately 1,300 properties in
Eastbourne – 3.3% of Eastbourne’s housing.
Just 230 are subject to the national
licensing scheme.
Total remaining land capacity in
Eastbourne between 2011 and 2027 is
enough for 2,243 new homes or 140 a year.
There are few large developable sites in the
town. Many of the sites that can be
developed for housing are relatively small
with a capacity of below twenty homes.
Expanding beyond the boundaries of the
town is not feasible. Eastbourne is bounded
to the south by the English Channel and to
the west by the South Downs National Park.
Between April 2006
and March 2012 an
average of 265 new
homes were added
per year to the town
8
To the north and east, the town is
bounded by Wealden District Council which
has in place its own planning and housing
policies for developers and house builders.
The Wealden areas of Wannock, Willingdon,
Polegate and Stone Cross do still have some
capacity for new homes. These areas could
be said to serve the wider Eastbourne
housing market. Between these areas and
Hailsham there is a stretch of ‘green belt’,
as there is to the east in the area between
Pevensey and Bexhill. Land therefore is
perhaps the most challenging constraint on
Eastbourne’s ability to provide enough
homes for its population. Making effective
use of the properties we have – both
residential and commercial, the empty or
under used spaces above shops – could
make a positive contribution towards
providing more homes.
For those buying a home, Eastbourne is
slightly more affordable than its neighbours
and other areas in the south east of
England. That makes the town more
attractive than many parts of the region for
employers who want to locate somewhere
that will give their employees the
opportunity to be a home owner. This gives
Eastbourne a positive edge when it comes
to attracting inward investors.
East Sussex Housing Affordability
Area
Lower Quartile
House Price
Lower Quartile
Gross Income (Week)
Gross Income
(Annual)
Lower Quartile Income
to House Price Ratio
Lewes
£178,958
£365
£18,975
9.4
Wealden
£173,083
£384
£19,963
8.7
Rother
£146,792
£358
£18,626
7.9
Eastbourne
£130,944
£321
£16,692
7.8
Hastings
£110,317
£333
£17,321
6.4
East Sussex
£145,000
£350
£18,200
8.0
South East
£162,500
£385
£20,020
8.1
England
£123,000
£360
£18,720
6.6
The normal lending criteria of
between three and four times income
suggests that based on single income, a
house would have to cost no more than
£67,848 to be affordable in Eastbourne.
However, the situation improves if the
household income increases, for
example by virtue of having more than
one working member. Average
household income in Eastbourne in
2011 was £32,964, 90% of the national
average. Using this as a guide, then a
mortgage of around £131,856 would
be the maximum that someone could
safely secure. If a deposit of between
ten and twenty per cent – between
£15,000 and £30,000 – is factored in,
an affordable home will need be priced
at or below a figure in the region of
£150,000. First time buyers and middle
income households are not excluded
from Eastbourne’s housing market.
Rents outside of the social housing
sector are high. Rising rent payments
combined with lower property prices
and mortgage rates now mean that on
average, across England property
owners pay 18 per cent or £132 a
month less than those who rent. In
Eastbourne, while the difference is not
quite so marked, it is now not unusual
for the cost of renting to be more than
the mortgage cost for buying a similar
home. Even after allowing for the
additional costs faced by a home buyer
such as buildings, life and mortgage
repayment insurance over time the
cost of buying is far less costly than
renting privately.
Housing is predicted to become
more expensive in future years.
Increases by 2017 are predicted in
property prices of 22% and private
sector rents of 55% for the south east
as a whole, making owner occupation
for those who can secure a mortgage
arguably an even more viable option
than it is now.
The high cost of housing is having
an increasingly negative impact upon
the well being of households – a third
of households now cite this as causing
stress or anxiety in their family.
OUTCOMES FOR PROVIDING
HOMES THAT SUPPORT
PROSPERITY AND CHOICE:
Encourage the development and provision of homes that meet the needs
and aspirations of Eastbourne’s growing population
Support wider economic spending, reduce the risk of family poverty and
encourage aspiration and economic activity – homes which are affordable
to both rent and buy for people working and living in Eastbourne
Encourage investment in homes in ways that contribute to and support
the wider, long term prosperity of Eastbourne
Help people have a better quality of life as they get older – more housing
options for older people and long term sustainable housing options for
younger people
More housing options for people with disabilities and with special
housing needs
Support the development of the education economy – homes for
students while they are studying and affordable homes for when they
have graduated
9
Planning Policy
ACTIONS FOR
2013-14
Adopt the Core Strategy with provision
for 228 new homes a year
(Target – Spring 2013)
Adopt an Affordable Housing
Implementation Technical Note to
influence and support housing
developers and providers to develop
new homes for owner occupation,
including affordable homes, and social
rent (Target – adopted by Spring 2013)
Finance
Review currently stalled sites capable
of providing twenty or more homes
and identify reasons for development
not taking place (Target – review
completed by Spring 2013; options
appraised by Summer 2013; viable
options prepared for appropriate
interventions by Autumn 2013;
options approved by the Council
by Winter 2013)
Consider financial support options,
such as under-writing or joint
ventures, for the Council and other
public sector partners (for example the
Homes and Communities Agency) to
help developers bring forward new
homes. Examples include underwriting
early stage development costs or
providing support for developer and
mortgage access initiatives to help
people buy a home of their own
through Rent-to-Buy options, deposit
guarantee schemes and shared equity
purchase packages. (Developed in
conjunction with Eastbourne Housing,
Finance and Legal Specialists
supported by the joint Eastbourne
Borough Council and Eastbourne
Homes Housing and Economic
Development Project Board)
In 2011-12, there
were estimated
to be 5,539
households –
12.5% of all
families – in
Eastbourne living
in fuel poverty
New Homes
Have available a range of ‘off
the shelf’ policies and support
packages that both encourage
developers build homes in
Eastbourne and help them to
support people to buy a home of
their own (Target – ‘off the shelf’
incentive options available for use
informed by national good
practice– Winter 2013)
Develop Council owned homes
for affordable rent (Target – 20
homes started by Winter 2013)
Famous comedian Tommy Cooper
spent his summers in Eastbourne.
This is his house in Motcombe Lane
where a wall mural has been
designed to celebrate one of the
town’s most famous residents.
Support housing associations to
develop homes for affordable
rent and home ownership
(Target – fifty homes started by
Spring 2014)
Review options to provide
purpose built student
accommodation
(Target – Summer 2013)
10
Sovereign Harbour has been developed
over two decades and includes a variety
of different and sometimes provocative
building styles.
Making good use of the homes and properties
already built
Eastbourne Asset Challenge – develop the opportunities for the
Council to make the most effective use of its own asset base to improve
the range of facilities available in the town to attract visitors and
investors, provide more homes and earn money to invest in economic
development projects. (Target – complete Eastbourne Asset Challenge
Winter 2013-14)
Seaside – consider how to exploit the Town Centre redevelopment to
improve adjacent areas, including Seaside, which is the link between the
retail parks located on and around Lottbridge Drove and the Town Centre
itself. This could include improving the appearance of the area, focusing
retail and commercial development in sustainable locations and
exploiting the value-for-money housing offer to help home-seekers buy a
home of their own (Target – intervention needs considered and agreed
with local people – Autumn 2013; investment options to deliver agreed
interventions agreed – Winter 2013-14)
Bring empty homes back into use (Target – 100 homes each year)
Consider conversions of redundant commercial properties to retail use
Bring into use as homes commercial space in the Town Centre
11
Economic Development
LOOKING
AHEAD – ACTIONS
FOR 2014-15
THROUGH
2019-20
Finance
Develop an Eastbourne Economic
Development Strategy – to link past,
current and potential economic and
housing investment to bring inward
commercial investors to Eastbourne
Take forward agreed options for stalled
sites capable of providing twenty or
more (Target – development plans and
agreements in place Summer 2014;
start on site Winter 2014-15)
Assess the viability and potential of
Community Benefit and Local
Employment Clauses for all local
authority new build contracts;
encourage housing associations and
developers to take a similar approach
(Target – for the Council Winter 2014;
for housing associations and developers
by Spring 2015)
Prepare programme for submission
to National Affordable Housing
Programme (NAHP) 2015 onwards for
at least 20 new affordable homes a
year (Target agreed programme
Autumn 2014; deliver homes Spring
2015 onwards)
Select preferred affordable housing
development partners – General Needs,
Older Person’s Homes and Special
Needs Housing (Target – preferred
partners selected by Spring 2014)
New Homes
Prepare a programme for Housing
Revenue Account (HRA) Borrowing
supported programme of new Council
owned homes for affordable rent
(Target – prepare programme Summer
2016; deliver programme spring
2017 onwards)
Develop family sized homes for
households with a disabled family
members (Target – develop proposals
Autumn 2014; deliver homes Spring
2015 onwards)
Secure additional affordable housing
for older people, located in the central
areas of Eastbourne, as part of wider
private housing developments (Target –
develop proposals Autumn 2014;
deliver homes Spring 2015 onwards)
(100 homes)
Make sure that all large scale housing
developments include homes designed
to meet the needs of disabled people
On 1st April 2012 there were 3,889 households
on the Council’s Housing Register
Making good use of the
homes and properties
already built
Deliver the options agreed as part of
the Eastbourne Asset Challenge
Eastbourne’s tallest building is South Cliff Tower, built in 1966,
and offers amazing views across the English Channel.
Policies and Procedures to help
provide homes that support
Prosperity and Choice
Core Strategy (Spring 2013)
Planning Policy Technical Note
(Spring 2013)
Eastbourne Asset Challenge Process
(Winter 2013-14)
HRA Business Plan
(in place – reviewed annually)
Empty Homes Procedure
(in place – to be reviewed 2014-15)
Community Benefit Clauses Policy
(to be developed 2014-15)
Resources to help provide a
choice of homes that improve
the chances of everyone to
enjoy and share in a more
prosperous Eastbourne
Private developer and housing
association investment in new homes
Promotion of Sovereign Harbour as an
anchor location for inward investment
for high tech scientific and IT
development employment and
business location
Promotion of high speed internet
connectivity across Eastbourne
Activating Eastbourne to help people
find and keep a job
General Fund Investment Capacity for
the Eastbourne Development Fund
Commuted Sums Fund for
affordable housing
New Homes Bonus
Housing Revenue Account
Borrowing Capacity
Council owned land – ideally suited
for providing affordable homes
HCA NAHP 2015 onwards
Section 106 Contributions
12
13
THEME TWO:
FINDING AND
KEEPING A HOME
IN EASTBOURNE
H
omelessness is perhaps the most acute expression of housing need.
Preventing homelessness is therefore critical especially as one in five
people say that if they were evicted from their home they would be
sleeping rough that night.
Year
Decisions
Acceptances
2010/11
97
12
2009/10
152
26
2008/09
335
125
IN EASTBOURNE, THE COUNCIL’S HOUSING SPECIALISTS
HAVE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS BEEN ABLE TO
PREVENT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
APPLY TO THE COUNCIL FOR HELP FROM BECOMING
HOMELESS. WE OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES:
On-demand help to assist people in keeping their home, find a home if they need one or receive general advice and
help about any issues to do with their housing
Support for Brighton Housing Trust (BHT) to provide help and advice to people looking for a place to live, including those
who are not statutory homeless
A Landlord Liaison Specialist who works with wide range of helpful private landlords to find accommodation for
households at risk of being on the streets
Rent Deposit guarantees paid to help access privately rented accommodation
A Rough Sleeper Co-ordinator, working across Sussex, to help people sleeping rough put a roof over their head
Using the legal power to help those who are statutorily homeless by finding them a year long tenancy in the private
rented sector while still retaining the right to offer priority to some types of homeless household for a social home
A sanctuary scheme to protect people suffering domestic violence
Tailored services for young people, including the YMCA’s provision of interim accommodation to help people ease into
independent living, the Eastbourne Foyer and the East Sussex Supporting People scheme for young mothers
14
Demand for services to people who
are homeless is expected to increase. In
2011-12, there were 300 repossession
claims in Eastbourne – one for every
156 homes which is slightly lower than
the national average of one in every
115. In winter 2012, Eastbourne found
eleven rough sleepers on one night
alone – the highest number ever
recorded in the town. Changes to the
social security system introduced by
Welfare Reform Act 2012 are likely to
affect the incomes of low and middle
income people and will introduce direct
payment of housing supplements to
households rather than landlords.
The number of people who may find
their current housing situation difficult
to sustain is predicted to increase.
Homelessness is also expected to rise
as a direct consequence of the
changes. The Council clearly needs to
maintain its past success in preventing
homelessness and helping those who
do lose their home find a new place
to live.
The preferred tenure, based upon
satisfaction of residents, in Britain
remains owner occupation, followed by
social housing and then private rented
housing. Social housing has high levels
of satisfaction amongst tenants. Owner
occupation remains the aspiration for
more than three quarters of young
people – indeed owner occupation is
the ambition for 86% of the whole
population. That is perhaps not
surprising when research shows that
people who own their home have the
highest levels of life satisfaction. It also
reflects a view recently revealed in
national research that owning a home
gives people: “a measure of security
and control over where they lived…
with a stake in their society”.
Many small businesses start on the
back of funds secured against the
entrepreneur’s home. This is a resource
and source of economic development
that may be constrained if people are
denied viable opportunities to buy a
home. The primary barrier to home
ownership for many people is not
“Security of housing for it to be a home is
more important than owning a home.”
necessarily the affordability of the
monthly mortgage repayments but the
ability to secure finance. There is a role
for the Council to benefit Eastbourne
by helping people fulfil home
ownership aspirations.
An increasing number of households
are now renting accommodation. Apart
from the long term cost of renting, of
particular concern to young families is
the lack of security and stability offered
by private rented accommodation.
More than a third of tenants worry
about their landlord ending their
contract before they are ready to move.
The issue of security of home is equally
important for people in Eastbourne.
The average let lasts less than three
years with these moves not always
being at the choosing of the tenant.
This has an impact on the quality of life
of residents, may disrupt schooling and
healthcare and can add to the cost of
living of families unable to easily to
cover home-move expenditure. Recent
research shows that renters feel less
attached to their local communities,
are more likely to delay starting a family
and building their careers because of
the uncertainty around renting. Private
landlords should be encouraged and
supported to offer longer term
tenancies, as is the case in much of
Europe. Doing so will help reduce their
turnover and costs from refitting
properties between tenancies and
losing rent while properties
stand empty.
15
Outcomes for Finding and Keeping a Home
in Eastbourne
THEME TWO:
FINDING AND
KEEPING A HOME IN
EASTBOURNE
Make sure that people can make quick and informed decisions about their
housing choices – accurate and pragmatic advice and help for people who
are homeless, right first time every time
Help people who have fallen on hard times maintain their aspirations to
remain home owners – practical support for people who are behind with
their mortgage retain rather than lose their home
Help people avoid loss of home through income reductions – prudent and
practical advice and support for people with low incomes to help them
manage their money so that they can make their housing costs
Reduce the time people spend without a place to live or stay while they are
looking for a home
Recognise the high start up costs for private tenancies – practical help for
people who need to rent have better access to such help as rent deposits
Avoid unnecessary homelessness and costs and disruption to landlords –
support people, including those with life-skill problems, maintain a tenancy
where it is appropriate for them to live independently of family and friends
Support rough sleepers to find a place to live
Social landlords have since 2012 had
the option of using short term tenancies.
However, analysis by Eastbourne Borough
Council, Housing Voice and Shelter suggests
that the impacts of short term tenancies
may be damaging both economically and
socially. This view is reinforced by research
undertaken by the Institute for Public Policy
research into the social impact of private
sector renting where short term tenancies
are the norm.
The Council has decided to make a
strong commitment to support its own
tenants’ security and stability with a
Tenancy Policy that favours the use of
secure tenancies. Housing associations,
whose heritage in part was to address
the insecurity of privately rented
accommodation, can play a major role by
offering assured periodic tenancies to
Eastbourne households. This is the preferred
option in the Council’s Tenancy Strategy.
“I think that more needs to be done for first
time buyers and renters on low wages.”
16
The costs of ‘affordable housing’ are
lower than average rents in the private
market. Not surprisingly then, there is a high
demand for affordable rented housing. On
1st April 2012 there were 3,889 households
on the Council’s Housing Register while just
217 Council homes were let between 1st
April 2010 and 31st March 2011. What this
means is that at the current rates of lettings
and assuming no-one else joined the
Register, it would take the Council just
under 18 years to house everyone who
wants a Council home. A similar position is
experienced by housing associations. There
is then a clear need for more affordable
housing in Eastbourne.
Make provision for Gypsy and Traveller Sites
Provide safe sanctuary-style accommodation and security works to their
home for people who have suffered domestic violence
Fulfil aspirations and support economic prosperity for both households and
Eastbourne – help people who want to be home owners to buy a home
The costs of
‘affordable
housing’ are
lower than
average rents in
the private
market
Provide stability and security for families in well kept, affordable and well
managed homes and encourage private landlords to offer longer term
tenancies for those who want or need to rent
The Council will encourage development
and provision of more homes in Eastbourne.
Opportunities to use new investment to
support a long term, wider view across the
whole economy will be taken and
supported. By encouraging investment to be
made in way that supports the needs and
aspirations of local people - and to be
affordable to them now and in the future –
developing homes can make a positive
contribution to the sharing and spreading
prosperity throughout Eastbourne.
Modern family homes in Eastbourne
can be found close to the town
centre – these are in Upperton.
17
Finding a home
ACTIONS FOR
2013-14
Home Access Experience – to improve
the homelessness, housing options and
housing advice provision in Eastbourne
by streamlining access for clients
introducing ‘self service’ options,
e-communication of options and advice
and reducing the waiting times for
clients (Target – new system in place by
Summer 2013, approved as working
towards meeting the Government’s
Gold Standard by Autumn 2013)
Introduce a Local Authority Mortgage
Scheme to help first time buyers buy
a home of their home (Target –
introduced by Summer 2013 – 30
home buyers helped and supported)
For young people, continue to support
the YMCA in providing interim
accommodation for young people,
to better prepare them for living
independently and work with East
Sussex Supporting People Team to
introduce a new service for Young
Mothers target (Target – Spring 2013)
Preventing homelessness
Strengthen relationships with private
landlords to provide accommodation
needed to prevent homelessness
(ongoing)
Provided temporary accommodation for
those statutory homeless households to
help provide decent accommodation,
readily available, when it is needed
(Target – 13 units available by
Summer 2013)
Keeping a Home
Provide support to develop and deliver
the East Sussex Welfare Reform Action
Plan (throughout 2013-14)
Introduce the Preventing Repossession
Fund (Target – policy agreed by Spring
2013 and in place by Summer 2013)
Introduce a Transitional Housing
Support scheme to help people have
time to manage changes to their
income arising from changes to the
social security system (Summer 2013)
Continue to support floating support
schemes that help people who need
help to live independently
Introduce the Homelessness Change
project to help provide short-life
accommodation to help prepare
vulnerable homeless people to live
on their own (Target – open by
Winter 2013)
Finding a Home
LOOKING
AHEAD – ACTIONS
FOR 2014-15
THROUGH
2019-20
Integrate the Home Access Experience
into the Council’s new Customer First
approach to service delivery
Review and if successful extend the
Local Authority Mortgage Scheme to
help first time buyers buy a home of
their home (Target – extended by
Spring 2014 – 30 home buyers
helped and supported)
Review the Council’s continued
participation in East Sussex HomeMove
(Target review completed by
Autumn 2015)
Preventing homelessness
Review and if successful extend the
Preventing Repossession Fund
Keeping a Home
Continue to support the delivery of the
East Sussex Welfare Reform Action Plan
Develop rent and investment models
that encourage private landlords to
offer good quality, well managed,
long term private tenancies
Policies and Procedures to
help people find and keep
a home in Eastbourne
Eastbourne Tenancy Policy (in place)
East Sussex Tenancy Strategy
Framework (in place)
Eastbourne Allocations Policy (in place)
Preventing Repossessions Policy
(Summer 2013)
Rent Deposit Policy (in place)
Homelessness Discharge Policy
(in place)
Rough Sleepers Initiative including the
‘Reconnecting Rough Sleepers’ and
‘No Second Night Out’ (Spring 2013)
Homelessness Strategy and Home
Access Experience (Gold Standard
service in place by Autumn 2013)
Resources to help people
find and keep a home in
Eastbourne
Local Authority Mortgage Scheme
(Eastbourne Borough Council
General Fund)
Discretionary Housing Payments Scheme
(Department for Work and Pensions
and Eastbourne Borough Council
General Fund)
Preventing Repossessions Fund (DCLG)
Rent Deposit Scheme
Homelessness Prevention Grant
Homelessness Change Programme
(HCA and Eastbourne Borough Council)
Rough Sleepers Initiative (DCLG)
Eastbourne Private Landlords’ Forum
On 1st April 2012
there were 3,889
households on
the Council’s
Housing Register
18
Eastbourne Housing Forum
Eastbourne Housing Partnership
19
THEME THREE:
IMPROVING THE
QUALITY OF
HOMES IN
EASTBOURNE
E
Eastbourne has
47,516 homes.
Each year, 265
new homes are
added to the
stock and less
than 100 are
demolished
astbourne has 47,516 homes.
Each year, 265 new homes are
added to the stock less than 100
are demolished. On average a
house in Eastbourne may have to last for
around 500 years. That is why it is important
that homes are maintained and kept in a
good condition. Investment in homes has
wider economic benefits – every £1 spent
on construction generates a total of £2.84
in local economic activity.
On average, a property owner should
budget to spend at least 1.0% of the value
of their property per year to keep it in good
order. This is not always easy at a time of
falling real incomes and cost of living
increases that leave little money available
for essential maintenance. Since 2010,
no Government funding has been made
available to the Council to cover the cost of
providing grants or loans to private property
owners to put right disrepair. Property
owners are now expected to take financial
responsibility for keeping their property in
good repair.
Fortunately, most properties in
Eastbourne are in reasonable conditions,
however, overall the stock is aging and there
are pockets of poorer quality homes
throughout the town, for example in the
Devonshire Ward. Surveys undertaken in
2005 and 2008 found that the poorer
housing conditions are most likely to be
found in homes owned outright and in
20
There are major changes in the way public resources are to be made available
to help people make their homes more fuel efficient. Green Deal, even with an
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) subsidy for the fuel-poor, is based upon the
household making some kind of financial contribution. Green Deal therefore
represents a significant challenge to the psychology of how low-income
households plan their finances. Experience to date in persuading people to
improve their homes through taking out loans rather than receiving home
improvement grants has resulted in fewer properties being improved and more
time needed by Council officers to support each case. This has led to concerns
over the ability of both Green Deal and ECO to impact upon families most
suffering fuel poverty.
accommodation rented from private
landlords. Homes being bought with
mortgages and Council-owned homes are
usually in the best condition. By 2013,
the vast majority of social housing will
meet national Decent Homes Standard.
The Council’s Housing Revenue Account
Business Plan will keep Council homes
decent for the next thirty years.
Fuel poverty overall is expected to
increase in the future.In 2011-12, there
were estimated to be 5,539 households
(12.5%) in Eastbourne living in fuel poverty.
Thanks to the Decent Homes Programme,
people living in social housing are better
insulated against the risk of fuel poverty.
The SAP rating of homes owned by
Eastbourne Borough Council is 68.4.
The most effective and sustainable means
of making homes less expensive to heat
(apart from keeping energy costs low) is to
improve the energy efficiency of the home,
such as installing central heating, or cavity
wall and loft insulation – which may cut fuel
bills by up to 35% and 20% respectively.
However, care needs to be taken to make
sure that any reductions in domestic energy
bills that come from these ‘retro-fit’
measures are not outweighed by additional
charges placed on fuel bills to cover the cost
of the improvements.
Reducing fuel poverty then can make a real contribution to increasing
prosperity and making Eastbourne a better place to call home. The challenge is
quite clear – on average, the fuel bill of each fuel poor household would need to
be £415 less in order to take them out of fuel poverty. That represents potentially
an additional £415 per year to be spent in the wider Eastbourne economy.
“Definitely support decent homes standards
and energy efficiency grants.”
Outcomes for improving the quality of homes
in Eastbourne
Use investment in properties to support investment in people
– training and skills and local employment
Make sure that properties can continue to provide homes for future
generations – support and encourage property owners, private and social,
to maintain their properties to a good standard
Make sure that homes, including social housing, can remain in good
condition for the lowest possible cost – encourage the use of designs,
components and materials that have a long life and are easy to maintain
Set a good standard for the town and other property owners – a high
standard of property maintenance by the Council for its own homes
Reduce fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions and create employment
opportunities – encourage fuel efficient and environmentally friendly
building and retro-fitting by the owners of existing properties
21
ACTIONS FOR
2013-14
Support local supply chains and support employment across all sectors of the
employment market (blue and white collar) by researching the use of Community
Benefit and Employment Clauses for Council maintenance contracts to support local
supply chains and employment (Target – review options – Winter 2013-2014)
Many homes in Eastbourne have green spaces around them,
helping to give the town its refreshingly open atmosphere.
Maintenance and Repair of Homes
Complete Decent Homes Programme to all Council homes (Target – Summer 2013)
Review future options to help homeowners maintain their homes through advice
and supported loans (Target – review completed by Winter 2013)
Fuel Poverty
Review and agree investment programme to improve the thermal efficiency of the
Council’s Pre-cast reinforced Concrete Properties (Target – review Summer 2013;
programme agreed Autumn 2013; start on site Winter 2013-14)
Introduce collective energy buying programme (Summer 2013)
Support the Green Deal and ECO
Deliver the Warm Homes, Healthy People programme (Target – Winter 2013-14)
LOOKING
AHEAD – ACTIONS
FOR 2014-15
THROUGH
2019-20
Introduce Community Benefit and Employment Clauses into Council
maintenance contracts (Target – develop and legally validate options by
Winter 2014-15; incorporate into all Council contracts let after Spring 2015)
Policies and Procedures to improve the quality
of homes in Eastbourne
Housing Revenue Account Asset Management Plan 2013-2018
– reviewed and updated on an annual basis
Housing Revenue Account Thirty Year Business Plan 2012 – 2032
– in place and reviewed and updated on an annual basis
Private Housing Renewal Policy – in place but to be reviewed and re-launched
as a Home Improvement Policy for 2014-15
Resources to improve the quality of homes
in Eastbourne
Property owners investing in their homes and properties
Housing Revenue Account
Investment by housing associations
Green Deal (Private finance)
Energy Company Obligations (Private finance)
Warm Homes, Healthy People (Central Government)
Parity Trust Eastbourne Loan Fund
Housing Renewal Budget (Eastbourne Borough Council)
22
23
THEME FOUR:
ENJOYING A
HOME AND
NEIGHBOURHOOD
IN EASTBOURNE
A
good home is about more than
just the home itself – it is as
much about the neighbourhood
and the wider environment. This
was clear in the response to the Council’s
consultation over the summer of 2012. We
asked what made people happy with their
current accommodation. This is what they
told us:
Good Location
Good Property and Garden
Good Neighbourhood
Good Amenities
The four main reasons for people not
being happy were:
Neighbour related issues
Insufficient parking
Home too small
Desire to be an owner occupier
The Council as part of its new approach
to delivering services will during 2013 be
introducing mobile Neighbourhood Advisors
to take services to the streets. They will be
able to provide on-the-spot help and advice
on such things as noise pollution and fly
tipping. This will allow the Council to tackle
problems such as litter more quickly and be
more able to understand what people want
to make their neighbourhood a better place
to live. We already have Neighbourhood
Panels in place and a commitment to
support community groups.
Eastbourne has a very low crime rate and
has no areas with severe or longstanding
crime and disorder problems. However,
anti-social behaviour, crime and the fear of
crime causes distress to individuals and is
destructive to communities. Eastbourne
Borough Council is a member of the
Community Safety Partnership which brings
together different agencies and services to
co-ordinate work to reduce crime. One the
Partnership’s main priorities are to develop
and deliver effective neighbourhood
management in designated areas.
“I think more should be done to encourage people to take
pride in their area and maintain their properties to a good
standard and keep their gardens nicely and clear of rubbish.”
24
The Council’s own housing accounts
for 3,800 homes across the borough,
with the housing concentrated in
Langney, Hampden Park and Old Town.
Housing associations have 2,800
homes spread throughout Eastbourne.
How these homes are managed and
tenants given a good service has a
major influence on how pleasant these
neighbourhoods are for people living
in them.
Currently, the homes owned by the
Council are managed on behalf of the
Council by Eastbourne Homes Limited
(EHL). The contract to manage the
Council’s housing expires in March
2015 so over the next year the Council
will decide the best way forward for its
landlord service. The Council will
consider the view of local people and
tenants, value for money and the
ability to manage homes in a way
that provides strategic support for
the Council’s wider objectives
for Eastbourne.
For people who rent accommodation
from private landlords, the Council’s
Housing Standards Specialists provide
help and support to resolve problems
between landlord and tenant. This
includes visiting and inspecting
properties that may not be to a good
standard and taking any action –
including legal enforcement if
necessary – to bring them up to
standard. We will soon be introducing
spot checks of licensed HMOs to make
sure that standards do not slip during
the licence period. Landlords get the
benefit of an independent check on
their properties to help them keep up
to date on health and safety matters
and maintain high standards of
property management.
In the first six months of 2012-2013,
Eastbourne Borough Council helped 40
people with Disabled Facilities Grants at
an average cost of £6,000 per client.
The Council’s landlord service helped
our own tenants through the Aids and
Adaptations programme. These are
important programmes as they help
avoid people having to move home
and will remain a priority for
future resourcing.
One of the most important
partnerships will be the Health and
Well Being Board, which from April
2013 will have oversight over NHS and
related services. The East Sussex Board
has published its strategy ‘Healthy
Lives, Healthy People’. Its priorities for
2013-2016 include:
Safe, resilient, secure parenting
for all children and young people
Preventing and reducing falls,
accidents and injuries
Supporting those with special
educational needs, disabilities
and long term conditions
A safe and secure home is essential
to make these priorities a reality.
Commitments made by Eastbourne
Borough Council as part of ‘At Home in
Eastbourne’ will help improve the
health and well being of people living
in the town. These include supporting
secure tenancies in social housing to
provide stable homes for families,
practical support for private landlords
and tenants to improve the condition
and management of properties, priority
for the provision of aids and
adaptations for people with disabilities
and the development of new homes
designed for people with special
housing needs.
The Council as
part of its new
approach to
delivering services
will during 2013
be introducing
mobile
Neighbourhood
Advisors to take
services to
the streets
East Sussex County Council has the
lead responsibility for directing the way
supported homes are provided for
many of the people with special
housing needs including those who
particularly vulnerable. These services
are designed to help these people
enjoy their homes by provided essential
support and services. In 2012, East
Sussex County Council published a
strategy ‘Pathways to Independence –
A strategy for supported housing and
housing support’. This set out the
commissioning intentions and priorities
for a wide range of people with special
housing needs.
25
THEME FOUR:
ENJOYING A
HOME AND
NEIGHBOURHOOD IN
EASTBOURNE
Much of the County Council’s work for
people with specialised housing needs is
delivered through the Supporting People
team, which is accountable to a Strategic
Forum including Eastbourne Borough
Council. People with special needs are also
supported by services provided directly by
Eastbourne Borough Council, including
Disabled Facilities Grants, the Housing
Solutions Service and the Council’s Housing
Specialists who work closely with people
who are homeless or face the prospect of
having nowhere to live.
The recent economic problems facing the
British economy have left people on average
experiencing incomes 6.4% lower now than
they were in 2008. Eastbourne, together
with East Sussex Supporting People team, is
taking a lead on co-ordinating the advice
and support that will be offered to help
people in East Sussex manage the impact of
changes being made to the social security
system. The need for this work is clear when
the possible impacts of such reductions
are considered.
Much of the Council’s work to improve
neighbourhoods and help people better
enjoy their homes will be done working
with other organisations and agencies. It is
critical for partnerships to be effective that
they deliver value for money and contribute
to the outcomes detailed in ‘At Home in
Eastbourne’. This will need robust
agreements between partners, with
clearly defined expectations, responsibilities
and obligations.
Economic problems facing
the British economy have
left people on average
experiencing incomes 6.4%
lower now than they were
in 2008
26
Outcomes for enjoying a
home and neighbourhood
in Eastbourne
Support local communities to develop
their own priorities for improvements
to their neighbourhoods
Create pleasant neighbourhoods to
co-ordinate and improve services –
maintain and develop partnership
working between the Council’s
Neighbourhood First Teams,
community and residents groups, the
Police, landlords and property owners
Support the Eastbourne Community
Safety Partnership Plan to reduce
anti-social behaviour and crime
Effective housing management by all
types of landlord – to provide value for
money for their tenants’ rent payments
and deliver high standards of housing
and neighbourhood services
Help people move to the type of home
best suited to their needs
Make the best possible use of homes
adapted for use by people with
physical disabilities – to make sure
that these special homes are prioritised
for those can get the most benefit
from them
Deliver an effective and efficient service
providing adaptations to help disabled
people continue to be able to enjoy
their home
Support vulnerable people to have a
home and home life that makes them
less vulnerable – good working
relationships with our partners
including East Sussex County Council,
especially Adult Social Care and
Supporting People, and the Health
and Wellbeing Board
Coherent and co-ordinated services –
to improve the overall offer of services
across Eastbourne to local communities
and to secure value for money for the
Council in its partnership agreements
with other agencies
ACTIONS FOR
2013-14
Encourage communities and housing providers to work with Council’s new
Neighbourhood Advisor teams to build close relationships with community leaders,
organizations and residents in the areas they cover to improve the quality of
neighbourhoods (Target – team in place Spring 2013)
Lead the Neighbourhood Management initiative in Eastbourne and maintain support
for the five current partnerships in Kingsmere, Willingdon Trees, Old Town, the Town
Centre and Shinewater/North Langney
Help and support residents in Devonshire West to exploit the opportunities offered
by the Big Local funding award made in 2012 to improve their neighbourhood
Explore opportunities for working with voluntary and community organizations to
enhance current advice, financial inclusion and other community based services
to support neighbourhoods and residents
Support people who rent their home from the Council and want to move to one that
is more manageable for their current needs and incomes
Support people who own their home and want to move to one that is more
manageable for their current needs and incomes
Review all options for the future of the Council’s landlord role (Target – review to start
Spring 2013 and preferred option agreed Winter 2013-14)
Review the Council’s housing partnerships with other organisations, developing new
agreements using the Council’s Budget and Service Assessment Matrix with shared
performance indicators and outcomes (Target – all existing partnerships reviewed
Spring 2013; new agreements in place Winter 2013-14)
27
LOOKING
AHEAD – ACTIONS
FOR 2014-15
THROUGH
2019-20
Introduce an external environmental improvement programme for Council owned
homes to improve the appearance and desirability of housing estates (Target – start on
site by Spring 2015) (Eastbourne Homes Limited Asset Management Team supported
by Eastbourne Housing Specialists)
Review the options for introducing better building standards for homes for disabled
people (e.g. wider doors to allow use of non-powered wheelchairs) (Target – review
completed by winter 2014-15) (Eastbourne Housing and Planning Specialists supported
by DIG)
Have arrangements in place for the future of the Council’s landlord role
(Target –preferred option in place by Spring 2015)
Fund and support voluntary and community projects, including community
development and community centres, which meet the Council’s corporate outcomes
Work with the Eastbourne Youth Partnership to find out more about the housing
aspirations of young people and how they can make those hopes a reality
Relevant Policies and Procedures to help people enjoy
a home and neighbourhood in Eastbourne
Anti-Social Behaviour Policy (in place – Eastbourne Homes Limited)
Aids and Adaptations Policy (in place – Eastbourne Homes Limited)
Disabled Facilities Grants Policy (in place – Eastbourne Borough Council)
Enforcement Policy (in place – Eastbourne Borough Council)
Eastbourne Community Safety Partnership Plan (in place)
Eastbourne Borough Council Community Grants Policy (in place)
Eastbourne Youth Strategy (in place)
Pathways to Independence – A strategy for supported housing
and housing support’
Resources to help people enjoy homes and
neighbourhoods in Eastbourne
Terminus Road lies at the heart of
Eastbourne’s town centre. It leads straight
from the railway station to the seafront
and many people live in flats above the
restaurants and cafes that offer a choice
of cuisine from around the world.
Tenant Incentive Scheme (Eastbourne Borough Council)
Housing Solutions Service (Eastbourne Borough Council and
Supporting People)
Disabled Facilities Grants programme (Eastbourne Borough Council
and DCLG)
Aids and Adaptations Service (Eastbourne Borough Council)
Community Infrastructure Levy
Community Safety Partnership
Eastbourne Borough Council Neighbourhood First Service
Eastbourne Borough Council Community Grants Programme
Eastbourne Youth Bank
Local Trust (supported by Big Local funding) to be invested by residents
and stakeholders in Devonshire West to improve the area
Supporting People services
Disability Involvement Group
In 2011-12,
there were 300 repossession
claims in Eastbourne
– one for every 156 homes
28
29
GLOSSARY FOR
AT HOME IN
EASTBOURNE
General Fund: the Council’s overall budget. It
includes everything the Council does except for
Council-housing. Funding comes from a mix of
government grants, Council Tax payments and income
earned by the Council from investments and services.
Gold Standard: the standard for services for people
who may be homeless set by the Government.
Eastbourne’s Home Access Experience is the Council’s
approach to meeting this standard, making greater
use of information technology and streamlining the
way services are provided to people.
Green Deal: a new financing framework to
encourage the provision of fixed improvements to the
energy efficiency of households and non-domestic
properties, funded by a charge on energy bills that
avoids the need for consumers to pay upfront costs.
Activating Eastbourne: the Regeneration and Economy
sub-partnership of the Eastbourne Strategic Partnership.
It works to support employment and growth in
Eastbourne by better communication and coordination
of support to job seekers and businesses and increase
employment opportunities.
Decent Homes Standard: introduced in 2000. All social
housing by 2013 must meet Decent Homes Standard.This
means each property must meet the current statutory
minimum standard for housing, be in a reasonable state of
repair, have reasonably modern facilities and services and
provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.
Affordable Housing Implementation Technical Note:
provides detailed guidance for developers about the
affordable housing conditions they will need to meet to
get planning permission.
Department for Communities and Local Government
(DCLG): the Government ministry which oversees housing,
planning and local government.
Brighton Housing Trust: a Sussex wide charity that
provides support, advice and help for homeless people.
It is one of the leading partners of the Council, providing
a complimentary service to that provided by the Council’s
own Housing Options Specialists.
Community Grants Programme: provides funding for
voluntary and third sector groups to deliver services across
Eastbourne. Current priorities include support for homeless
people and rough sleepers and projects which address
financial inclusion and which support unemployed people
back into work. Examples of projects supported include an
open access service providing comprehensive advice on
welfare benefits, money and debt advice, housing and
employment, community development and support services
and youth engagement activities.
Commuted Sums: these are made up of payments made
by private developers to contribute towards providing social
improvements to an area, including affordable homes.
Core Strategy: a part of a local planning authority’s Local
Development Framework for planning policy. It provides the
clear policy framework of how an area will be developed.
Customer First: this is the operating model being rolled
out across Eastbourne Borough Council’s service from 2013
to 2016. It will introduce quicker, faster service responses by
streamlining access to services by making greater use of
information technology and giving team members higher
skill levels.
30
Disability Involvement Group (DIG): represents the
interests of disabled people throughout Eastbourne.
Disabled Facilities Grants: mandatory grants to adapt
homes of people with disabilities so that they have safe
access into and around their home and are able to use the
facilities within it.
Discretionary Housing Payments: these are made
to help people pay their rent if they have no alternatives
to reduce their rental obligations. They are short
term payments.
Discretionary income: the income households have left
over at the end of each week after spending on essential
items such as housing, food and powe rfor ‘lifestyle’ type
activities or for savings.
East Sussex Welfare Reform Action Plan: a county wide
project to better co-ordinate advice and practical help for
people on low incomes to better manage their money.
Eastbourne Rent Deposit Scheme: loans people money
to cover the deposit they need to sign up for a tenancy with
a private landlord.
Energy Company Obligation: private energy companies
have from the end of 2012 been expected to work
alongside the Green Deal by targeting appropriate fuel
efficiency measures at those households likely to need
additional support.
Homelessness Prevention Grant: an annual grant
paid by the Government to local authorities to support
the provision of services to homeless households.
Homes and Communities Agency (HCA): the
government body responsible for national public
funding of housing projects.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO): a property
in which a number of different households who are
not related or otherwise linked to each other live
together and who usually share facilities for cooking
and bathing. HMOs with three or more storeys and
five or more residents under the terms of Housing Act
2004 have to be licensed by the Council.
Housing and Economic Development Project
Board: a strategic body with representatives from
Eastbourne Borough Council and Eastbourne Homes
Limited, with a remit to consider and advise on.
Housing Register: a combined list of people who
are waiting to become tenants of the Council or a
housing association or who want to move from one
social housing property to another.
Housing Revenue Account (HRA): the accounting
system used to manage Council-owned homes,
funded entirely by rents paid by tenants.
Housing Solutions Service: a specialist service to
assist vulnerable house holders access alternative
accommodation rather than receive inappropriate
adaptations. The relevant officer helps identify a
property, be it one to buy or rent, arrange any
necessary adaptations and support in a practical way
the moving arrangements. The service is aimed at
older people and those with physical disabilities.
Local Authority Mortgage Scheme: helps people
buy a home of their own by guaranteeing part of their
mortgage, reducing the cash deposit they have to find
to get a loan.
National Affordable Housing Programme
(NAHP): the HCA’s investment programme to
increase the supply of affordable homes in England.
New Homes Bonus: a grant paid by the
Government to local councils for increasing the
number of homes and their use. The grant is paid for
six years for each new property built or long term
empty home brought back into use.
No Second Night Out: a Government funded
initiative that aims to make sure that anyone who
ends up on the streets gets helped quickly so they
don’t spend a second night out.
Parity Trust: provides low cost loans to people who
can’t ordinarily access funds from private banks.
The money is provided by local authorities and is
only available for essential home improvements.
Preventing Repossession Fund: offers people who
have mortgage arrears a short term loan to clear their
debt and give them time to negotiate a solution with
their to remain in their home.
Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning
Act 1990: allows a Local Planning Authority to enter
into a legally binding agreement or planning
obligation with a landowner in association with the
grant of planning permission. The obligation is called
a Section 106 Agreement.
Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP):
the Government’s recommended system for assessing
the energy rating of homes.
Supporting People: a partnership between
East Sussex County Council and district housing
authorities to deliver housing related support services
to help vulnerable people live independently in
the community.
Tenancy Policy: sets out the types of tenancy a
social landlord offers its tenants. For Eastbourne,
secure tenancies are offered to nearly all tenants
except for those moving to properties expensively
adapted to provide special facilities for
disabled people.
Tenancy Strategy: sets out the types of tenancy the
Council expects housing associations to offer people.
For Eastbourne, our preference is for all tenants,
other than in the most exceptional of cases, to be
offered the security of assured periodic tenancies.
Warm Homes, Healthy People: a fund supported
by the Department of Health and delivered by local
councils. It provides money for energy efficiency and
heating improvements to the most vulnerable people
and provides fuel poverty/cold weather awareness
training for volunteers and staff.
31
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AND SOURCES
FOR AT HOME
IN EASTBOURNE
A Better Deal (Shelter – September 2012)
An unreported detail in Iain Duncan Smith’s welfare reforms
could drive people to homelessness
(Daily Telegraph – November 2012)
Annual Report on Fuel Poverty Statistics
(Department of Energy and Climate Change – May 2012)
Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2011
Briefing Paper – Tenancy Policy
(Eastbourne Borough Council – March 2012)
British Social Attitudes Survey
(National Centre for Social Research – 2011)
Buying a home cheaper than renting
(Channel Four News – September 2012)
Buying home £120 cheaper a month than renting
(Daily Telegraph – February 2013)
Capital Economics Reports 2012
Construction in the UK
(UK Construction Group – May 2012)
Corporate Peer Challenge – EBC
(Local Government Association – July 2012)
DCLG House Price Statistics Q1-Q3 2011
Death of a Dream
(Homeowners Alliancde – November 2012)
Declining home ownership is a national crisis
Eastbourne Comparative Housing Costs Index
(Eastbourne Borough Council – December 2012)
Energy efficiency: Who pays and who benefits?
(IPPR – December 2012)
English Housing Survey 2010-11 (Department for
Communities and Local Government – 2012)
32
Eric Pickles warns David Cameron of rise in homeless
families risk (The Guardian – July 2011)
More middle class families ‘will become homeless’
due to recession (Daily Telegraph – November 2011)
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment –
Eastbourne (Eastbourne Borough Council – 2012)
First-time buyer shortage a concern, says Nationwide
(BBC – January 2013)
Nesting still trumps investing
(Yorkshire Building Society – October 2012)
Strategic Housing Market Analysis for Eastbourne
(arc4 & Directions – 2012)
Forty-six per cent of those buying a home for the first time
are turning to shared ownership or shared equity
No place to call home: The social impacts of housing
undersupply on young people
(Institute of Public Policy Research – December 2012)
The Future Costs of Housing Benefit for Older People
(The Strategic Society – June 2012)
Fuel Poverty & Health (Faculty of Public Health – May 2006)
Office of National Statistics Reports (2011)
Fuel Poverty Advisory Group Tenth Annual Report
(December 2012)
Out in the Cold (St Mungo’s – December 2012)
Home ownership £200,000 cheaper than lifetime of
renting, study finds (The Guardian – June 2012)
Home Truths 2012 – South East
(National Housing Federation – November 2012)
Homelessness builds into a social crisis
(The Guardian – July 2011)
Homelessness Monitor Year Two
(Heriot-Watt University & York University – December 2012)
Household Projections (Department for Communities and
Local Government – 2008)
Private Sector House Condition Survey
(EBC & CPC – February 2008)
Private Sector House Condition Survey
(EBC and CPC – 2008)
Public Attitudes to Housing (Wallace, Joseph
Rowntree Foundation – 2010)
Renting costs up to £396,000 more than buying a
house (New Statesman – June 2012)
Repossession and Eviction Hotspots (Shelter – 2012)
The Impact of Welfare Reform on Housing
(Consortium of Associations South East – 2011)
The people who can afford to buy but aren’t allowed
to – thanks to the banks (Daily Mail – March 2012)
To Have or Have Not
(Housing Voice – September 2012)
Welfare Reform Impact and Mitigation Proposal
(East Sussex Supporting People Strategic Forum –
October 2012)
When young people buy their own homes, they feel
like citizens with a stake in society (Nick Pearce –
Director of the Institute of Public Policy Research in the
Observer – December 2012)
Solving Fuel Poverty – Opportunities from Green Deal
and Localisation (Localise West Midlands – 2011)
Housing costs cause stress and depression for millions
(Shelter – January 2013)
Housing costs force 1 in 10 back to Mum and Dad
(You Gov & Shelter Survey – October 2012)
Housing Needs Survey (Eastbourne Borough Council – 2005)
Housing Options and Solutions for Young People in 2020
(Joseph Rowntree Foundation – 2012)
Jilted Generation (Howker & Malik, Icon – 2010)
Local Decisions on Tenure Reform (Shelter – July 2012)
Measuring National Well-being – Life in the UK 2012
(Office of National Statistics – 2012)
33
WANT TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT
AT HOME IN
EASTBOURNE?
Please email the Housing Services Team at:
[email protected]
or write to us at:
Housing Services Strategy Team
Eastbourne Borough Council
1 Grove Road
Eastbourne
BN21 4TW
or telephone us on:
01323 410000
or visit our website at:
www.eastbourne.gov.uk
If you are a member of a community group, for example a resident’s association or a charity working with local
people, a member of our team would be pleased to meet with your group. They will be able to discuss our
housing services and ‘At Home in Eastbourne’. If that would be useful to you and your group, please get in
touch with us using the address, e-mail or telephone number shown.
34
35
Housing Services Strategy Team
Eastbourne Borough Council
1 Grove Road
Eastbourne
BN21 4TW
email [email protected]
telephone 01323 410000
visit www.eastbourne.gov.uk

At Home in Eastbourne - Eastbourne Borough Council

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