Cash agreed for new social housing and cost of living support in Telford

An ‘interventionist’ local authority has agreed to spend upwards of £60 million on new social housing and cost of living support.

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In two major decisions this week Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet agreed to invest £53.65 million on building 300 new council homes and £9 million on cost of living programmes.

Members of the council’s Labour leadership group spoke of the council intervening over the next three years to support local residents.

Councillors Kelly Middleton and Carolyn Healy both recalled the stability of being brought up in council homes as they supported a return to the council directly providing low rental housing for the first time in 27 years.

Like many other housing authorities Telford and Wrekin Council sold off its stock of homes to a housing association in the 1990s.

Councillor Middleton (Woodside) said she is ‘passionate about social housing’.

When she was on benefits she was able to take a voluntary job, study at night and then get paid employment, she told Thursday’s meeting (November 12).

“The thing that enabled me to take that was the fact that I lived in social housing.

“If I’d have lived in private housing it would have been such a barrier but I was able to take roles that enabled me to develop and grow and provide for my daughter.”

She added: “If you can’t afford to pay your rent, say in Woodside, your average rent starts at £750 but goes up to £1,000 if you are on minimum wage that’s more than half of your wages.

“That would prevent somebody getting work and we want to get people into work and contributing.”

Councillor Healy (Ironbridge Gorge) said allowing councils to build homes again is a “transformational policy shift”.

She grew up in a council house in the 1970s and said “knowing what it did for my parents, in allowing us to be brought up in that secure accommodation.”

The move was welcomed by Lib Dem leader Bill Tomlinson although he is “nervous about the costs to the local authority.”

Conservative leader Andrew Eade (Church Aston and Lilleshall) warned of the council providing homes by increasing borrowing.

“There are obvious risks to that at the present time,” he said, adding that interest rates are on the way up.

“It may prove very challenging to hit the targets.

“But I do look forward to seeing the outcomes of these proposals with some interest to see what can be done.”

Labour council leader Lee Carter (Arleston and College) replied: “I still can’t establish an answer to whether you are in support or against but that’s the way you roll I guess.”

The cabinet also approved a £9 million cost of living support programme aimed at helping people before they get into financial difficulty.

Cabinet members said that the programme showed “what this Labour administration is all about.”

It includes spending on school meals, food vouchers, and support for help organisations.

Councillor Ollie Vickers (Donnington) also said the council is putting “Labour values” in to action.

“That’s what an interventionist council looks like,” he added, mentioning the £2 adult bus fares scheme as an example.

Councillor Bill Tomlinson, the Liberal Democrat leader, welcomed support for people.

The council records that it sets the ‘lowest council tax in midlands’.

But Councillor Tomlinson (Shawbirch and Dothill) added that he would love the day when the council could “keep council tax rises below inflation.” Last year’s bills rose by 4.9 per cent.

Councillor Eade said he welcomed dealing with hardship but said that was not about one political party.

“It is what we are elected to do, to look after our communities,” he said.

“This administration certainly does not have a monopoly with that sort of approach, it is supported by councillors of whatever background and party.”

The cabinet also received an update on the council’s continuing efforts to improve housing standards across the borough.

It includes taking enforcement action against ‘bad landlords’.

Last year it intervened in the market to slap landlords with more than 240 improvement notices and took action to address around 1,000 individual property hazards.

Prosecutions of landlords lead to fines totalling around £60,000, while additional civil penalties, property charges and repayment orders led to more than £66,000 in fines and repayments.

Councillor Nathan England (The Nedge), said: “Our approach is based on support, engagement and enforcement. We work with landlords and tenants to resolve issues early, provide practical advice and guidance, and help people access safe and decent homes.

“Where landlords are willing to engage, we will support them to improve standards. But where people fail to meet their legal responsibilities or put tenants at risk, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action. Through support, engagement and enforcement, we are helping raise housing standards, protect vulnerable residents and create safer, stronger communities.”

The council is also gearing up for the introduction of an Article 4 directive next year which will mean that landlords of smaller HMOs will have to apply for planning permission for the first time.

Councillor Eade welcomed the Article 4 directive to tackle a “pretty dire” situation with HMOs.

But he added that working with landlords needs a “delicate balance.”

He added: “We need to keep rented accommodation open and in use in the private sector.”

Councillor Tomlinson welcomed the report which was unanimously approved by the cabinet.