Housing Strategy Annual update 2006
The Housing Strategy 2003-08 was agreed by the Council in October 2003 and was assessed as ‘fit for purpose’ by the Government Office North East (GONE ). To ensure that the Strategy continued to be ‘fit for purpose’ the Council agreed with GONE to provide an annual update. The update set out achievements to date in each of our priority areas between January 2005 and January 2006 as well as key actions for February 2006 and beyond. This is the final update to the Housing Strategy 2003-08. The recently completed Housing Needs and Social Care Study and other research initiatives being undertaken during 2006 provides an ideal starting position upon which to develop our new Housing Strategy.
Progress
The Council and its partners have made good progress in meeting the priorities set out in the 2003-2008 Housing Strategy, including:
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Successful inspection for The Gateshead Housing Company has released the resources needed to bring homes in Gateshead up to the Decent Homes Standard.
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Effective partnership working by Tyne & Wear authorities has attracted £4.158m Single Housing Investment Programme funding to support delivery of the Regional Housing Strategy objectives in Gateshead.
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Delivered Pathfinders £9.6m second year programme helping to create great places to live.
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Continued the implementation of the Housing Strategy for Older People with 49 new two bed bungalows completed by December 2005.
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Spent around £1.5m completing out over 400 adaptations to older peoples’ and people with disability’s homes enabling people to carry on living at home for longer.
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Built 15 units of supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities across the borough.
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Brought back into use or demolished over 1000 vacant dwellings
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Established 5 Area Executive Forums, with multi-agency membership, to help progress the Area Actions Plans which work to translate borough wide strategies and targets into measurable local action.
The Strategy Update |must be read as a supplement to the existing Housing Strategy 2003-2008. This document finalises the actions held within the Housing Strategy 2003-2008 action plan and will enable the council to involve and engage with Members of the Gateshead Housing Partnership to develop a new vision and new priorities for the Housing Strategy 2006-2011.