| LAMB
ADDRESSES NORTH NORFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL MEETING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING |
Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, today
addressed a special meeting of the Policy & Development Committee of North Norfolk
District Council.
The meeting was called to discuss possible approaches to dealing with the affordable
housing crisis facing North Norfolk. Mr Lamb said: "I am delighted that District
Council has put the affordable housing crisis at the top of its list of priorities. My
mailbag is full of letters from young local people who are unable to find a first home in
the areas they want to live."
Mr Lamb spoke on the issue of West Raynham airbase, where a large number of Ministry of
Defence houses could be renovated to provide affordable housing.
Recent letters sent to Mr Lamb by Ivor Caplin MP, a Minister of the MoD, suggested that
progress could be made.
Mr Lamb said: "The decay of these homes is an absolute scandal. The local community
and the school would benefit from development of this site."
Mr Lamb also talked of low energy housing schemes that are being developed elsewhere in
the country and in Europe, and proposed that funding could be pursued for similar schemes
in North Norfolk. |
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| COUNCIL
TO CONSULT ON IDEAS FOR HOUSING FUTURE |
At a special meeting last night, North Norfolk District
Council agreed to apply for the Government's 2004 Housing Transfer Programme. Councillors
heard that by making the application they were simply keeping their options open at this
stage and that the other ways forward available to the Council needed to be explained to
tenants. Like many other councils, NNDC does not have the money it needs to bring its 4900
properties up to meet the Government's Decent Homes Standard by 2010.As a result, it has
to look at other options for how this could be achieved.
Councillor Margaret Craske NNDC's Cabinet Member for Housing, said ''We will apply to be
on the transfer programme but people need to understand that any transfer would only go
ahead if tenants support it. Over the coming months we will carry out a major consultation
with our tenants and other stakeholders, going through the issues and taking on board
people's views. Our plan is to then hold a vote later next year of all tenants as they are
the people who are most affected. Only if they support a proposed change will it go ahead.
However, we need to be realistic and recognise that something does need to be done to
preserve affordable rented housing in this area into the future.'' Housing transfer to a
new or existing housing association would help raise the money needed, as housing
associations have greater financial freedom than councils. Other options include the
Private Finance initiative, arm's length management companies and tenant management
options, and the Council will be providing more information to tenants on these options so
they have the full picture over the next few weeks. To date some 789,000 tenants from 142
councils have had their homes transferred to housing associations under the housing
transfer programme.
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