MP critical of council housing standards

Published on Tuesday 18 August 2009 09:41

New figures have revealed the number of sub-standard council-owned homes in Northampton has risen by more than 1,200 in the past five years.

According to Labour MP for Northampton North, Sally Keeble, the figures illustrated a "collapse" in performance levels at Northampton Borough Council as part of a central Government programme.

Under the programme, councils are supposed to ensure that all their housing is up to a basic standard of decency by 2014.

But figures released to Mrs Keeble in response to a parliamentary question she put to the housing minister, has shown that Northampton's performance under the programme had declined sharply, particularly over the last two years.

She said: "This is a dramatic deterioration in the state of the council's housing. What it means is that over 1,000 more families in Northampton are living in homes that fail to meet the decent homes standard.

"Northampton Borough Council did a stock survey and assured the Government that it could achieve the decent homes standard using its own resources, and those provided by central Government. Now the position is deteriorating instead of improving."

The number of properties failing to meet the decent homes standard has gone from 3,382 in 2004 to 4,623 in 2008. The council appeared to be making progress in 2006 when the figure dipped to 2,698, but rocketed by 2,000 over the following two years.

Mrs Keeble added: "The decent homes standard is very basic – it just means a reasonable level of insulation, amenities and repair.

"Whatever the long-term plans for redevelopment, it is essential that a programme is put in place now to reverse this decline in housing standards for many of my constituents."

She said she had spoken and written to housing minister John Healey about the lack of progress, and the decline in the position in Northampton compared with other housing authorities.

Councillor Tony Woods, leader of Northampton Borough Council, said: "We know there is an urgent need for major investment in Northampton's housing stock. This isn't news.

"Latest estimates indicate it will cost 125 million to bring all the council's homes up to modern-day standards by 2014. Traditional funding arrangements will give Northampton 52 million to invest, leaving a shortfall of 73 million.

"We are investing where we can to improve the homes of thousands of tenants over the next four years, but more investment is needed.

"Work to improve homes in Kingsley and parts of Kingsthorpe is already underway, and plans to roll the decent homes work to other parts of the town is due to start next year.

"Eastfield and at least one other estate in east Northampton are also set to be transformed after the government announced we are on course to secure up to 100 million in a first-round bid for PFI money.

"We are also reviewing options for alternative funding arrangements open to local authorities to bridge the funding gap to bring our remaining stock up decent homes standard."

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MP critical of council housing standards

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