CPA Self-Assessment

Balancing Housing Markets

February 2004

1. How well does the Council understand its housing market and from its understanding has the Council developed the right proposals to help balance its housing markets?

1.1 Does the Council have the right research base to understand its housing market

The Council has a detailed research base, which provides a good understanding of the housing market and underlying socio-economic drivers. The Council is informed by the English House Condition Survey and Housing Corporation Research, regional papers including particularly research undertaken by the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, University of Birmingham and locally commissioned research including the 1999 Housing Needs Survey, and Private Sector House Condition Survey 2000.

The Census 2001 provides base line data for information on house numbers, types and tenure. This is supplemented by quarterly house data updates produced in partnership with the Shropshire County Council sustainability unit. Data on homelessness, right to buy sales, aids and adaptations, and social-housing re-lets is considered quarterly and annual data collated through the Housing Statistical Returns.

A new housing need assessment is being commissioned for completion in early 2004. This borough wide data is supplemented by parish level housing needs surveys, to help inform decisions on local housing development. The Council has recently introduced a system for routinely gathering information via key websites such as the land registry and from the rent officer on house prices, private rental costs, and socio-economic data. Land availability using information from planning permissions and house completions is collated on an annual basis. The Council is also completing an urban capacity study.

In the last twelve months the Council has been heavily involved in Supporting People working with District, County, Health and Probation colleagues to determine need and supply of supported housing and housing support across Shropshire and the development of a county wide strategy. A countywide partnership undertook the Homelessness Review and developed the Homelessness Strategy and through these well-developed partnerships we have commissioned research into housing and support needs of black and ethnic minorities_, adults with mental health problems and older people_. The Council in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council, Shropshire Chamber and Social Services has commissioned research into the housing and support needs for young people (2002) and through the Community Safety Partnership people fleeing domestic violence (2003).

The Housing Register is updated regularly. The housing allocation policy is reviewed annually to ensure the limited social housing stock is made available to those in greatest need. We are currently exploring the extension of the register to include demand for affordable to buy properties.

The 2000 Private Sector House Condition Survey provided comprehensive private stock condition data including home energy and social economic data. The condition survey of the Council housing stock undertaken in 2001 as part of the Large Scale Voluntary Transfer, informs the LSVT investment programme _. Qualitative data is also obtained through regular liaison with the Private Landlords Forum, the voluntary sector Forum on Housing and Homelessness and quarterly liaison meetings with Registered Social Landlords. Quantitative data on private sector renewal through grants and housing enforcement is collated for BVPI’s.

1.2 How well does the develop and evolve its strategies and plans?

The Council has developed and published a corporate consultation and communication strategy, which will be used to guide future consultation on strategy development. The Housing Strategy 2002-2005, Homelessness Review and Strategy 2003^7,8 and Housing Renewal Policy 2003-2005 were developed through a process of consultation with key stakeholders including landlords, RSL’s and the voluntary and community sector. Focus groups, questionnaires and the circulation of draft documents are used to capture views. A countywide Inclusive Forum has been established supported by local liaison groups to inform the development of the Supporting People Strategy⁶.

The Supplementary Planning Guidance on affordable housing, jointly prepared by housing and planning colleagues, was widely circulated to key stakeholders at the draft stage, and their feedback influenced the final approved document.

The Council has strong links with National and Regional strategies and the development of its housing and planning strategies. The Council challenges National and Regional priorities that do not accord with local need through robust evidence based arguments. For example the Council successfully challenged the housing development figures within the West Midlands Regional Planning Guidance to better meet local housing need.

Strategic documents including the Housing Strategy contain targets and action plans approved by elected members to deliver the Council’s strategic objectives. These targets determined by Best Value reviews, benchmarking and the priorities of stakeholders identified through the consultation process.

 

Elected members have been fully involved in development of the principal housing priority to provide additional 500 units of social housing by 2006. This priority arose from the housing needs survey the analysis of house price/ income levels indicating a growing affordability gap. This priority has been extensively debated by members and has led to the development of SPG and a new approach to social housing funding using Council resources introduced as a result of the abolition of LASHG. Affordability has been taken forward as one of five countywide priorities through the County Local Strategic Partnership. The CLSP has commissioned Shropshire Housing and Planning Officer groups to investigate affordability within Shropshire and to produce good practice guidance for all Shropshire Authorities. This demonstrates highest level support for this issue.

1.3 Does the Council have the strategies and plans to help it balance the housing market?

The Community Strategy is the Council’s primary strategic document with housing and planning strategies inter-linking under it. Providing affordable housing and meeting housing needs for vulnerable groups are key priorities within the Community Strategy and the Corporate Plan. The provision of 500 units of social housing is one of 10 "Big Issues" for the Council.

The Local Plan and Housing Strategy form part of the Council’s policy framework. The Housing Strategy is supported by the Housing Renewal Policy 2003¹⁴, Fuel Poverty Strategy 2002, Homelessness Strategy 2003⁸, Empty Property Strategy 2000, Supporting People Strategy 2003⁶ and Housing Best Value Action Plan 2003. The Housing Strategy recognises the relationship with the Regional Economic Strategy and the pressures the identification of Shrewsbury as a sub regional foci will have on the housing market.

The Local Plan provides the land use policy for the Housing and Community Strategy’s and sits within a broad policy framework including National and Regional Planning Guidance, Regional Transport Strategy and Regional Sustainability Action Framework. The Local Plan identifies the land needed to deliver the annualised housing rate set out in the Shropshire Structure Plan to 2006. The Local Plan sets policies for the provision of affordable housing on allocated and windfall sites.

Both housing and planning policies promote mixed tenure developments with social infrastructure and community facilities to improve social cohesion and support sustainable communities. The Council uses Section 106 agreements to secure suitable infrastructure and community benefit including the provision of affordable housing integrated within private sector developments, open space provision, educational contributions and pedestrian/cycle links. Targets for affordable housing are justified on the basis of the 1999 Housing Needs Survey⁴.

The Shropshire Housing Officers Group and Supporting People process has forged close links with health and care services. These services jointly fund the Housing Policy advisor and Care and Repair Agency. These close relationships ensure that housing priorities compliment the work in health and care and similarly ensure a housing voice within those service areas.

The work of Shropshire Housing Officers Group (SHOG) is recognised by both the Housing Corporation and the Government Office of the West Midlands as representing good practice. Through this active and influential partnership the Council has worked to develop the West Mercia Sub Regional Housing Strategy informing and influenced the West Midlands Regional Housing Strategy.

The Council has embraced the opportunities offered through the Housing Renewal RRO, developing a completely new Housing Renewal Strategy, combining non-financial assistance with discretionary grants and equity release. The Council has allocated an additional £600,000 over three years to deliver this strategy. Shropshire Care and Repair (SCAR) the County Wide Home Improvement Agency based in the Borough Council was established in 2001 and is cited as a model of good practice for the development of home improvement agencies across the Country. An enforcement framework that clearly sets out what action the Council will take in respect of poorly managed private sector housing underpins the Housing Renewal Strategy and in what circumstances intervention will be taken. The Council is also the lead authority on the Shropshire Rural Energy Watch project levering in energy efficiency commitment funding to provide discounted heating and insulation to private sector residents.

Demand for Disabled Facilities Grants continues to challenge the Council. In the last two years the Council has allocated significant additional resources to meet demand (£250,000 in December 2001 and £120,000 in December 2003). The Housing Portfolio holder is working alongside officers and members from the County Council and other Shropshire Districts to review Disabled Adaptations with the aim to streamline the process.

2. What are the Council’s actions and what outcomes has it achieved in helping to balance housing markets?

1. How well is the Council working corporately to help balance the housing market?

The Council is working hard towards balancing the housing market through a range of policies and actions.

In 2001 the Council restructured combining housing strategy and enabling, community safety and regeneration and sustainability into one team to give breadth to the development of housing strategies. Team members work closely with colleagues within planning policy, legal, economic development and environmental health and have formed an interdisciplinary Housing Markets Group. The Council has established a members Local Plan Advisory Group to bring forward the review of the Local Plan.

The Council continues to make significant investment in meeting the housing priorities;

• Affordable Housing. Since April 2001 £9.6 million of Housing Corporation and Local Authority development funding has been approved through LASHG and ADP to deliver social housing. Following the cessation of local authority social housing grant the Council has allocated £10 million for the provision of social housing to 2006 through an innovative leaseback arrangement.
• Supported Housing. Working through the Supporting People Partnership the Council helped to secure almost £7 Million per annum for sustainable priority housing related support services from just over £4 million in December 2002. 83% of the services provided are for older people.
• Homelessness. From April 2003 the Council allocated an additional £80,000 revenue for homelessness services in addition to the Government Homelessness Grant.
• Unfit Private Sector Stock. The Council approved the Housing Renewal Strategy in August 2003 with and additional £600,000 over three years for grants and equity release.

New Local Plan policies introduced in June 2001 are beginning to deliver affordable housing on development sites with over 50 affordable homes delivered or under development. Within the last six months permission for the first rural exception scheme has been granted (10 units) and 14 affordable units negotiated in rural areas. Within the last year the Council has agreed the sale, at affordable values, of two areas of Council land for social housing development of affordable rented housing.

Partnerships - The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) includes the formal partnerships of SHOG, Shropshire Planning Officers Group, Supporting People, Severnside Housing, and less formal partnerships with other RSL’s. Service level agreements exist with the voluntary sector including the CAB, Shrewsbury Homes for All and Housing Young People in Shrewsbury. These partnership arrangements are reviewed periodically to ensure effectiveness in delivering the Council’s objectives.

In 2001 SHOG established SCAR, funded through a District, County, Primary Care Trust and Supporting People Partnership. As an independent agency it is able to offer benefit and financial advice and to undertake non-grant-funded work. Since forming in August 2001 the agency has assisted over 380 clients.

The Council’s private landlord forum has a regular attendance of landlords representing over 2000 properties. The Council is a member of the regional Homestamp Consortium that has agreed common standards of private sector rented housing standards across its members.

Community Leadership, equalities and social inclusion - The Council can demonstrate a deliberate and robust strategic approach to handling planning applications and Local Plan revisions. Many planning applications for affordable housing are on sites that are contentious locally and the applications can be controversial. The consideration of local views is an integral part of the planning process. However, the Council is not deflected in reaching planning decisions when non-material considerations are raised. Recently the Council has approved two affordable housing developments on green field sites in the face of vociferous opposition because it was determined that these were the best sites to meet a quantified current local housing need. Processes for community involvement in such decision making is set out in the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement.

2. Is the Council pursuing the right actions and initiatives to help balance the housing market and are the outcomes for local residents and the housing market as a whole making the right kind of difference?

Housing development - Within the Local Plan 60% of allocated housing sites are on brownfield land. Since 2001 73% of all dwellings have been developed on brownfield sites, consistently exceeding the regional target of 35-45%. Efficient use is made of housing land with average densities in the urban area of 36%.

Development briefs for sites give indicative housing numbers and where appropriate high housing densities are proposed. The Council works with developers and landowners to encourage housing land allocations to be taken up. Pre-application discussions are actively encouraged to ensure well-planned and appropriate applications. Consultation with applicants and agents in 2000/2001 found a total of 86% to be very or fairly satisfied with the service provided by the Council. The Council has a good working relationship with County Planners, with joint working on monitoring and the development of the planning framework.

The Council is embracing the theme of sustainability in design and energy efficiency on mixed tenure residential developments on land in Council ownership, leading by example on the standards expected in all new housing developments in the Borough.

Social/affordable housing development and partnerships - Over the last 10 years 385 units of affordable housing have been provided, including family housing, supported housing and older person dwellings. More recently these have been primarily 2 and 3 bed family housing responding to the housing need identified in the 1999 Housing Needs Survey.

Overall the provision of affordable housing is not keeping pace with its loss through right to buy. Since LSVT in October 2001, 101 units have been provided and 208 sold. Generally, provision falls some way short of need identified in the 1999 Housing Needs Survey. The Council has set itself a target of providing 500 additional units of social housing by 2006.

Whilst a preferred partnership arrangement with RSLs is an objective, at the current time the Council operates a managed market approach working predominantly but not exclusively with six housing associations. The Council is working with RSL’s to develop housing across all tenures to meet identified need, including market rent, low cost home ownership and social rented housing schemes. Currently the Council is supporting schemes to provide 51 units of shared equity housing and 102 units of rented social housing. Service level agreements exist with two charities that work with private sector landlords to provide affordable private rented accommodation to homeless persons. The Council funds a bond and rent in advance scheme as well as providing grant support to these charities to enable people with little capital access to private rented housing.

Through the use of Section 106 Agreements the private sector is expected to deliver approximately 240 units of affordable housing across all tenures within open market developments. Through the Council’s leaseback scheme we are exploring opportunities in partnership with RSLs to developed mixed tenure schemes, utilising market housing to cross subsidise affordable units.

Supported Housing - The Council, working through SHOG and the countywide Supporting People mechanisms, ensures that vulnerable people are provided with appropriate housing services. Annually SHOG bid for countywide top sliced Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme funding to deliver specialist housing available across Shropshire. SHOG has delivered supported housing for people with drug and alcohol dependency and for women’s refuges. Supported housing schemes for teenage parents, people with acquired brain injury and people with mental health difficulties are currently under development.

Supporting People has recently decommissioned two services that did not comply with the Supporting People Strategy and has begun 9 service areas reviews. A cross cutting review of older people services is due for completion in April 2004.

The Council worked with SHOG partners to develop a countywide Homelessness Strategy adopted in July 2003. The strategy was developed through extensive consultation and the Council is therefore confident it reflects the needs and issues within the district. Whilst homelessness referrals continue to increase, the Council has an excellent record in avoiding the use of bed and breakfast other than as crisis accommodation. The Council remains confident that we will not have any families in bed and breakfast accommodation by April 2004.

Private sector housing - The Council offers a range of assistance including grants and an equity release scheme. Resources are targeted at residents and property types identified in greatest need through the House Condition Survey 2000⁵.

£293,000 revenue was allocated in 2002/03 and 2003/04 for disabled facility grants. Coupled to a £250,000 capital allocation in 2001 this enabled the Council to provide over 60 adaptations in 2002/03, 50% more than in previous years. In 2003/04 an additional capital injection of £120,000 should enable 72 adaptations to be completed. Shropshire Care and Repair Home Improvement Agency assist residents with funding for adaptations from social services, the private sector and charities. The agency is currently developing its services to include a handy person scheme and a home from hospital service.

We estimate that there are 394 Houses in Multiple Occupation across the Borough and in the last 3 years 29 have been inspected and brought up to standard. There are 72 long term empty properties in the Borough and through our empty property strategy we aim to bring 5 a year back into productive use. The Rural Energy Watch programme continues to deliver with 246 households benefiting in 2002/03 putting the Borough Council well on target to achieve a 30% improvement in energy efficiency by 2010.

 

3 How well does the Council monitor its progress and impact in helping to balance housing markets and how effectively does this feed into future strategies and plans.

Housing and planning priorities are incorporated into the Council’s annual Performance Improvement Plan. Through the annual staff development scheme these are translated into individual staff targets. Portfolio holders reporting quarterly to Cabinet on the delivery of the Performance Improvement Plan, including housing and planning priorities ensures Councillors are fully engaged in monitoring and management of performance.

Monitoring, research and consultation are tools used to assess the impact of policies and to inform future policy direction.

Local Plan monitoring - The Council, in conjunction with Shropshire County Council, annually monitors housing supply providing information on build rates, house types, bedroom numbers, densities, provision of affordable housing, percentage development on brownfield sites, windfall provision and additions and losses to total housing stock. By monitoring land supply the Council is able to identify any shortfall in housing supply.

The Local Plan includes a series of targets and indicators relating to a broad range of planning policies, allowing the impact of many of the policies to be evaluated. In addition, the plan was subject to an environmental appraisal during its preparation and as part of the current review a more detailed Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment is being undertaken

Providing affordable homes is a key issue in the Local Plan review and policies will be reviewed in the light of the revised PPG3 and housing need assessment due in 2004.

Housing Strategy/Private Sector Housing action plans - The Housing Strategy 2002-2005¹³ contains a detailed action plan with SMART objectives. Performance against these objectives is reported to members quarterly through the portfolio holder’s report on Housing Services performance.

The performance of the Council’s contractors providing homelessness and housing needs register services is reported to members and officers at quarterly LSVT liaison meetings. Quarterly meetings with partner RSL’s receive reports on the progress of development schemes.

All clients in receipt of housing assistance e.g. grants are given the opportunity to feedback and since April 1999, 84% of clients have rated the service they receive as excellent.

Most of the emphasis in recording is on quantitative information. With an increasing emphasis on affordable homes the Council will need to establish more robust mechanisms to monitor the quality of developments and impact of design principles in a more systematic way.

3.2 Has the Council learnt from what it is doing to help balance the housing market to develop and improve its future strategies and plans?

Learning and development - The research into delivering affordable housing commissioned by the LSP and Chief Executives and Leaders is an example of Shropshire Housing Officers and Planning Officers working together to identify best practise and to apply lessons learnt to meet a key priority.

The Local Plan review will evolve to address areas for improvement (for example the thresholds for affordable housing) as part of a process of continuous learning and improvement. Experience and practice elsewhere and work with developers and RSL’s has resulted in a more focussed and structured approach. The Council is concerned about the lack of affordable homes. It has clearly set out its approach to the provision of affordable homes through SPG.

Comments from consultation exercises on draft plans, SPG or development briefs are reported to the Council and influence the final approved documents. The recent Key Issues Paper asked a series of questions relating to how the borough should progress is housing policies and responses are being considered alongside statutory guidance.

The Council undertook Best Value Reviews of housing services in 2001 and 2003, prior to and following LSVT. The first review was graded 1 star (likely to improve) by the Inspectorate. The second review was reported to the Council’s Best Value Sub-Committee.

Learning is applied to reviews of Strategies and Plans, i.e. Community Strategy (March 2004), Housing Strategy (August 2004), Supporting People Strategy (November 2004) and Local Plan in 2006.

 

Methods for gathering and assessing best practice - In drafting planning policies and SPG officers regular seek to identify best practice from both within the County and nationally.

Benchmarking with other Shropshire Authorities and family group authorities provides good comparative information that is used as the basis for further evaluation and review, for example recent discussions on the Disabled Facilities budget.

The annual Institute of Housing Conference, Beacon days and training opportunities all provide opportunities to gather and assess good practise.

Overall the Council has a comprehensive and sound understanding of the local housing market within the wider social and economic framework. The Council has adopted a flexible and robust set of policies towards balancing the housing market and these are kept under regular review. The housing market remains extremely dynamic and we are continuing to be challenged to develop approaches in such a changing environment.

• Rural Housing Markets 2002 CURS
• The West Midlands Housing Markets: Changing Demand, Decentralisation and Urban Regeneration, CURS
• Affordability and Housing Needs in the West Midlands 2003 (Draft) CURS
• Modelling Housing Needs in Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough, ORS Ltd 1999
• Private Sector House Condition Survey 2000
• Shropshire Supporting People Shadow Strategy 2003-2004
• Homelessness Review Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council 2003
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Homelessness Strategy 2003-2008
• Supporting People: Assessing the needs of BME groups in Shropshire, University of Wolverhampton 2003
• Supported housing and housing related services for adults with mental health problems in Shropshire County. Shropshire County Council 2003
• Housing and Community Care Strategy for Older People, SHOG 2000
• Stock Condition Survey Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Rand Associates 2001
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council Housing Strategy 2002-2005
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council Housing Renewal Policy 2003 -2005
• Provision of Affordable Housing within Residential Development
• SABC Cabinet Minute 96/03 - 19th May 2003
• Community Strategy, Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough 2002-2012
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Corporate Plan 2002-2007
• Empty Property Strategy 2000
• Housing Best Value Action Plan
• Transport Priorities for the West Midlands WMRA June 2002
• Quality of life the future starts here - a sustainability strategy for the West Midlands. WMRA
• The Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Joint Structure Plan 1996-2011 (November 2002)
• Housing and Pollution Enforcement Framework 2003, Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council
• Association for the Conservation of Energy report to the DTLR 2002
• Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council Best Value Review of Housing Services 2001
• Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council Housing Strategy and Enabling Best Value Review 2003
• Statement of Community Involvement