The Housing Executive recently met with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to outline its plans for the next four years and report on last year’s investment.
The meeting represents the housing body’s annual consultation with local government and is the first with the newly established councils. The Housing Executive presented a Housing Investment Plan (HIP) which replaced the District Housing Plan of previous years.
The Housing Executive is due to make a significant investment during 2015/16. It will support the delivery of new homes as well as invest £13.77 million upgrading and maintaining its properties, support people to live independently, increase the energy efficiency of homes and provide grant aid in the private sector. Through its landlord and regional services last year the Housing Executive invested £19.95 million in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area.
During the meeting the Housing Executive highlighted many of the achievements the organisation has made throughout Northern Ireland in the past year.
Across Northern Ireland, the Housing Executive channelled some £200 million into services to help the most vulnerable which included £10 million on homelessness and £72 million through its Supporting People programme. This included delivering a large planned maintenance programme with work undertaken at 29,000 homes with a direct investment of £100 million in these homes.
The private sector also received considerable support with £13.7 million spent through grants and £15.7 million in tackling fuel poverty.
Speaking at the presentation to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council yesterday evening, Trevor McCartney, the Housing Executive’s Director of Corporate Services said: “The Housing Executive works hard to maintain a good working relationship with councils and it is important this continues. Our Housing Investment Plan has been informed by a range of stakeholders and was developed as a comprehensive conversation piece for the whole housing sector in Northern Ireland.
“As the strategic housing authority for Northern Ireland we have prepared this plan to inform the community planning partnership on the state of the housing market, on housing needs, the policy priorities and public sector investment proposals for 2015-19.
“There is a lot of work that needs to be done to meet housing need, improve housing stock and provide support for the most vulnerable in our community. We at the Housing Executive will continue to play our part to ensure this work is delivered efficiently, effectively and judiciously.”
Maintaining its housing stock is a priority for the Housing Executive and this year in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area the organisation will spend over £5 million on planned and response maintenance to its homes. This will include the installation of double glazing in 511 homes, outside maintenance work to 371 homes, new heating in 278 homes and kitchens for 176 homes.
In the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area the Housing Executive will also support those tenants who need help to live independently in their homes through the provision of adaptations. Last year it spent £415k on both major and minor works helping people live more comfortably in their homes.
During 2015/16, in partnership with housing associations, 384 new homes are planned to be started in 30 schemes.
The Housing Executive endeavours to support the most vulnerable members of society through its Supporting People Programme. In 2015/16 it will invest nearly £5.81 million for housing support services. The Housing Executive currently funds 59 sheltered and supported housing schemes in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council as well as 7 floating support services.
The Housing Executive continues to contribute to the private sector through a variety of grants to help adapt homes to support people living in their own home for longer. Last year it approved110 disabled facilities grants and a small number of repair, discretionary grants and renovation grants with a value of over £1.5m. The Housing Executive also supported improvement and repairs in the private sector through the provision of £1.46m in grant aid.
After the presentation Loma Wilson, the Area Manager for South Down, said: “Our teams in Downpatrick and Newry provide a high quality dedicated housing service to the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. They work alongside our Customer Services Unit, Accounts and Housing Benefit teams to provide our tenants and the wider community with an effective and efficient service.
“Last year we made a substantial financial investment in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council along with a contribution which cannot be measured in such terms but makes a significant impact on the local community.
“I would like to extend my thanks to the councillors and officers of the Council for their support to the Housing Executive. We look forward to continuing to work with them on matters of mutual interest in the coming year.”
About Housing Investment Plans The Housing Executive has a statutory duty to report on the previous year’s performance and the following year’s programmes and plans. In past years, the Housing Executive delivered this through the District Housing Plans this year it has introduced Housing Investment Plans.
Community Planning The Housing Executive’s role in community planning is to represent the housing sector consequently, the Housing Investment Plan, has been broadened to include a more holistic view of the housing sector.
In Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area * The housing waiting list has 2,151 applicants in housing stress at 31 March 2015. Single households dominate the waiting list. * The number of homeless applicants awarded full duty status 750. * 513 homes were allocated to waiting list applicants. * Carried out planned maintenance including new heating systems for 586 homes, the installation of 250 frost stats, smoke alarms fitted for 187 homes and double glazing for 193 homes. Started the installation of new heating systems for 535 homes, outside maintenance to 289 homes, kitchens in 129 homes, double glazing in 87 homes and smoke alarms for 63 homes. * A total of 135 units were completed, 106 units are onsite with 729 planned for 2015/18. * Funded 59 supported housing accommodation based schemes and 7 floating support schemes. * Completed 94 Disabled Facilities Grants.
Northern Ireland context Housing Executive policies and plans are developed in the context of DSD’s Housing Strategy 2012-17 and the Programme for Government 2011-2015. Our expenditure is bound by the Comprehensive Spending Review 2010 which enables us to continue to make a considerable investment in housing each year.
* Funding of £101 million is available for the social housing development programme to enable delivery of 1,500 new social housing starts, a crucial part of our spending plans with 39,338 (March 2015) applicants on the waiting list. * In 2014/15, we facilitated the completion of 1,658 new homes and started a further 2,013 through the social development programme. * Funding for major adaptations, to help people with a disability, is £8.4m (Housing Executive stock).
* For 2015/16 expenditure for private sector grants is approximately £10 million, with an additional £18.5 million available for energy efficiency measures.
* The Supporting People budget of £72.8 million currently funds approximately 100 providers to deliver housing related support through 850 schemes to approximately 20,000 vulnerable people.
* Funding for our 2015/16 maintenance programme is £67 million for approximately 180 schemes.
* There is £14m for capital improvement works in 2015/16
* During 2014/15, we carried out external maintenance to 9,314 Housing Executive homes, replaced 5,114 kitchens, installed new heating in 6,910 homes, and double glazing in 7,746 homes.
About the Housing Executive * was established in 1971 as Northern Ireland’s strategic housing authority. * is a landlord to approximately 89,000 dwellings * administers a budget of £650m * has some 3,000 staff * offers disabled facilities grants to homeowners and private tenants * provides support to help improve the energy efficiency of private dwellings. * offers a range of services to people living in socially rented, privately rented and owner occupied accommodation as well as supporting and working with a number of other public bodies.
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