1. Housing – the National Picture Since May 2010 the coalition Government has embarked on a programme of reform and change in both housing and planning. National Policy: - –Increase the number of houses available to buy and rent, –Improve the flexibility of social housing and promote homeownership –Tackle homelessness and support people to stay in their homes –High quality and sustainable homes

2. The Changing Housing Landscape National austerity measures set out in the CSR has led to a significant reduction in the funding available Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England Affordable Rent model Welfare Reform Localism Act

3. Housing Services Service Area Responsibility Housing Strategy & Regeneration Private Sector Housing Housing Options Benefits Service

4. Housing Strategy & Regeneration Key Work Areas Production of Housing Strategy. Policy appraisal and development. Research on housing market needs and aspirations. Consultation with stakeholders on strategic housing issues. Housing & Neighbourhood Partnership. Working with Registered Providers to deliver affordable housing. Bidding for resource allocations. Completion of Government statistical returns on housing.

5. Housing Strategy & Regeneration Key Work Areas Continued Housing led regeneration schemes at Mandale, Hardwick, Parkfield, Swainby Road and Victoria. Affordable Homeownership Service, including Time2Buy Home Agent and in house products such as equity loans and rent to buy. Sub regional working through Tees Valley Unlimited. Growth Point Programme.

6. Private Sector Housing Key Work Areas Private Sector Housing Renewal policies. Bidding for resource allocations Provision of Disabled Adaptations. Improving standards in the Private Rented Sector Empty Homes Partnership work. Financial Assistance Packages. Enforcement of the prevention of Statutory Nuisances. Enforcement of housing conditions and management standards in Houses in Multiple Occupation.

7. Private Sector Housing Key Work Areas Continued Mandatory Licensing of Housing in Multiple Occupation. Licensing of private rented sector in low demand areas. Licensing and inspection of caravan sites Landlord Accreditation Scheme. Partnership work to reduce excess seasonal deaths Regional partnership work to develop financial products for capital investment in private sector stock Regional and sub regional partnership work to develop consistent housing standards across the private rented sector Exploration of a Lettings Agency with Housing Options

8. Housing Options Key Work Areas Housing Advice and Homelessness Services. Bidding for resource allocations Youth Homelessness Strategy Steering Group. Provision of emergency accommodation. Sub Regional Choice Based Lettings. Single Gateway Scheme. Homeowner Specialist Advisor. Multi agency public protection co-ordination and protocol. development for housing vulnerable people. Housing needs framework. Management of Travellers Site.

9. Benefits Service Key Work Areas Benefit Administration – processing new claims and changes in circumstances, including Claim @ Home Visiting Service Reconsideration of Decisions and Appeals Recovery of overpaid benefit Counter Fraud Work Administration of Discretionary Housing Payments scheme Support services:- training staff supporting & developing IT systems & providing statistical information to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Accounting for benefit paid, ensuring correct subsidy is claimed from the DWP Promotion and take-up

10. Challenges faced in 2011/12 Increased demand for services Changes to grant regimes Delivering services and regeneration schemes in difficult economic climate Changes to Local Housing Allowance Affordability

11. Despite the challenges we have faced the housing service has had many notable successes over the last 12 months ………………….

12. Key Achievements in 2011/12 Housing Strategy & Regeneration Worked in partnership with Registered Providers to deliver 72 new affordable homes in the borough in 2011/12. 45 households assisted into homeownership in the borough through Time2Buy between April 2011 – March 2012. Continued to progress housing led regeneration schemes with around £250m private/public sector investment over 10 years.

13. Key Achievements in 2011/12 Private Sector Housing Removed 32 Category 1 hazards from clients homes through the direct take up of financial assistance Removed 71 Category 1 hazards through enforcement work in the private rented sector Provided adaptations to over 379 clients enabling them to remain safe and more independent in their homes Increased the number of properties accredited under the Landlord Accreditation Scheme to 732 Improved 194 properties through the Private Rented Toolkit Brought back into use 53 long term empty properties

14. Key Achievements in 2011/12 Housing Options Provided housing options advice to 2,818 clients. This is an annual increase of 29% from 2007/08 16 vulnerable households housed with appropriate support have sustained their tenancies for more than six months. Delivered advice to 113 households with mortgage/rent arrears with the intention of helping them to remain in their own home.

15. Key Achievements in 2011/12 Benefits Service High performing, low cost service - performance within top quartile, costs of administration amongst lowest 25% in country Cumulative average time taken to process new benefit claims & change events 2011/12 = 9.6 days (Target < 11 days) Managed migration of front-line advice services to Customer Services Division Completed Gateway EIT Review New Claim Process Revised Verification Arrangements Automated Processes Overpayments Discretionary Housing Payments

16. Key funding achievements 2011/2012 Worked with Registered Providers to secure £4,231,471 Affordable Homes Programme funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to develop an additional 215 affordable units over the life of the programme. Secured £1.52m Housing Market Renewal Transition Funding which is match funded by the Council. Secured £1million HCA funding to bring 109 empty homes back into use over 3 years. The Council will top this funding up by £500,000. This funding is recyclable and by the end of 2020 a total of 199 empty homes will have been brought back into use. Secured £100,000 of additional funding from CESC to provide adaptations for vulnerable clients Secured £153,000 Warm Homes, Healthy People funding from the Department of Health

17. Key funding achievements 2011/2012 Continued Secured £100,000 Health/PCT funding to tackle excess seasonal deaths Secured £76,331 through the Government’s Preventing Repossessions Fund, announced in February 2012. The funding will be used to help up to 150 struggling homeowners at risk of re ‑ possession Successfully bid with SDAIS and DAAT to the Northern Rock Foundation for £100,000 over three years to fund a specialist CAB worker to work in the Housing Options service with ex-offenders and clients with substance misuse issues Secured £30,000 DAAT funding for one year to fund a housing options officer to be seconded to Holme House prison to upskill the teams already working with offenders to identify and implement housing pathways with relevant agencies

18. Priorities for 2012 and beyond To promote and sustain independence To prevent and tackle homelessness across all tenures To meet the challenges of the housing market Promote sustainable communities, and Welfare Reform –Benefit Cap –Social Housing under-occupation –Local Council Tax Benefit replacement –Single Fraud Investigation Service –Universal Credit