Social housing boost in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire's Executive Board is supporting changes to a policy which will provide fairer access to social housing.
Hundreds of existing council tenants and a wide range of stakeholders have fed in to a formal consultation on a new Access to Social Housing Policy.
The new policy will ensure future access to social housing in the county reflects both statutory obligations, as well as local priorities.
It will also focus on meeting housing need, as well as supporting balanced communities.
General feedback from the consultation was very positive, with a clear message that the policy was easier to understand, perceived to be fairer, and seen to better address local priorities.
Executive Board has recommended that the new policy be adopted, and should Full Council agree, it will be implemented during the summer of 2011.
The main changes, as a result of the consultation, include offering tenancies to households under the age of 18, which will be of particular help to young people leaving care, and will give more priority to those households who engage in work-related training.
It will also give additional priority for veterans who are suffering post traumatic stress disorder or serious illness as a result of active service in the Armed Forces.
Amongst others, changes have also been made to the allocation policy of upper floor flats to families with young children, and the policy of suspending households who reject reasonable housing offers from the register.
Cllr Hugh Evans, Executive Board member for housing, said: “The Executive Board fully supports the new policy, which has been designed to make access to social housing fairer and more transparent. People have been able to have an input in to the policy, and as a result it will better address local housing need, as well as being more supportive to communities and easier to understand.”
A full copy of the policy is available on the council’s website www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk, and can also be requested at Customer Contact Centres.
Hundreds of existing council tenants and a wide range of stakeholders have fed in to a formal consultation on a new Access to Social Housing Policy.
The new policy will ensure future access to social housing in the county reflects both statutory obligations, as well as local priorities.
It will also focus on meeting housing need, as well as supporting balanced communities.
General feedback from the consultation was very positive, with a clear message that the policy was easier to understand, perceived to be fairer, and seen to better address local priorities.
Executive Board has recommended that the new policy be adopted, and should Full Council agree, it will be implemented during the summer of 2011.
The main changes, as a result of the consultation, include offering tenancies to households under the age of 18, which will be of particular help to young people leaving care, and will give more priority to those households who engage in work-related training.
It will also give additional priority for veterans who are suffering post traumatic stress disorder or serious illness as a result of active service in the Armed Forces.
Amongst others, changes have also been made to the allocation policy of upper floor flats to families with young children, and the policy of suspending households who reject reasonable housing offers from the register.
Cllr Hugh Evans, Executive Board member for housing, said: “The Executive Board fully supports the new policy, which has been designed to make access to social housing fairer and more transparent. People have been able to have an input in to the policy, and as a result it will better address local housing need, as well as being more supportive to communities and easier to understand.”
A full copy of the policy is available on the council’s website www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk, and can also be requested at Customer Contact Centres.
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