£50 million cut to Haringey's Decent Homes programme in next two years

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Homes for Haringey residents have been dealt a massive blow with a £50 million cut, announced by government, over the next two years to the decent homes programme. Haringey had originally been allocated £85.6 million to make homes decent – a figure now cut to just £36 million.

Funding for making homes decent is being reduced by 66% and 50% in each of the next two years.

As a result of the reduction, Homes for Haringey and Haringey Council will spend the next few months reviewing the outstanding decent homes work and considering the priorities for major investment. Residents will be consulted as part of this process. Decent Homes works currently being carried out will not be affected.

Council Leader, Claire Kober, said: "The Government’s funding cuts will deal a massive blow to residents across the borough who have patiently waited to see new kitchens, bathrooms and windows installed. With the reduced resources available Homes for Haringey and the Council will continue to maximise every penny so that we make as many homes decent as possible. However given the scale of the cuts this will clearly mean residents missing out."

Vice-chair of the Board and Council tenant Phil Goodwin, said: "This news will be devastating to residents still waiting for work, especially as they have seen so much work carried out across the borough since 2008. I was elected to the board with a commitment to deliver decent homes and I remain dedicated to this cause. In the short term however we now need a conversation with our residents about how we can seek to meet their aspirations with less money."

Background information

To date, over 5,000 homes have been made decent, by the end of the year this figure will be 5,589. Haringey has been allocated £15m for 2011/12 and £21m for 2012/13. The original 2008 allocation would have delivered £44m in 2011/12 and £41m for 2012/13. Overall Homes for Haringey have the 7th highest allocation of decent homes funding nationally. Haringey were awarded the 5th highest allocation of funds in 2011/12 with 5.8% of the total available nationally. Homes for Haringey is the Arms Length Management Organisation managing Haringey Council’s housing stock since April 2006. Homes for Haringey is responsible for:

  • Meeting the Decent Home Standard
  • Services to approx  21,000 council owned properties: 16,700 tenanted and 4,500 leasehold
  • Tenancy and estate management
  • Housing management of supported housing
  • Rent collection and arrears management
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • Leasehold management
  • Resident involvement

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