Tag: John Healey

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much central government funding has been (a) made available for tenant training in each of the last 10 years and (b) allocated, or he plans to make available, for tenant training in (i) 2016 and (ii) each subsequent year of the current Parliament.

Gavin Barwell

We do not hold data on central government funding for tenant training prior to financial year 2009/2010. Since 2010/11 Government has funded the National Communities Resource Centre (NCRC), the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) and Tribal Education. Funding as follows:

Tribal Education

2010/11: £256,600

National Communities Resource Centre

2010/11: £350,000

2011/12: £136,492

2012/13: £267,350

2013/14: £131,159

2014/15: £285,100

2015/16: £90,000

Tenant Participation Advisory Service

2011/12: £170,000

2013/14: £668,700

2014/15: £518,310

2015/16: £160,000

A decision has not yet been made regarding funding for this and future years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the announcement of 4 January 2016, The Government will directly build affordable homes, what the components are of the significant holding costs for the direct commissioning site at Connaught Barracks, Dover.

Brandon Lewis

The holding costs for the site relate to the entirety of the site and are consistent with the legal and health and safety obligations of the Homes and Communities Agency as land owner.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the size is of the area of land available for the direct commissioning site for housing at Northstowe.

Brandon Lewis

The planning process is ongoing for these sites. This will be completed in due course working closely with the local communities and local authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the contract payment for each of the principal Work Programme providers is for each six month period or quarter.

Priti Patel

Due to its commercial sensitivity, the information is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any of the trusted partner pilots for the purposes of universal credit alternative payment arrangements will cover alternative payment arrangements for residents in (a) supported housing and (b) sheltered accommodation for elderly people.

Priti Patel

The intention is to deliver 26 Trusted Partner pilot sites. In total we received just over 200 valid applications; 16 landlords have already commenced the pilot and work is in train to confirm the final 10.

We plan to let key stakeholders know once all landlords have been confirmed.

Tenants in accommodation such as supported or sheltered housing are not subject to the Alternative Payment Arrangement process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what average time the Housing Ombudsman has taken to complete a case in each year since 2009-10.

Brandon Lewis

The Housing Ombudsman is an independent body whose objective it is to resolve disputes involving tenants and leaseholders of social landlords and their voluntary members. The average times taken to complete a case, which are within the Housing Ombudsman’s formal remit are provided below.

2009-10: 23 weeks

2010-11: 15 weeks

2011-12: 17 weeks

2012-13: 23 weeks

2013-14: Not available

2014-15: Not available

2015-16: 41 weeks

The levels of complaints and enquiries have increased year on year since 2006 and there was a 64% increase between 2012-13 and 2014-15, which is partly due to an extension of The Housing Ombudsman’s remit to cover local housing authorities.

At a DCLG Select Committee hearing, in January 2016, the new Housing Ombudsman made a commitment to reduce the backlog of older cases within their formal remit dating back from previous years. Very substantial progress has been made and by 31 March there were only 9 cases outstanding over 12 months old.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26142, if he will publish the names of the successful bidders to become trusted partner pilots for the purposes of universal credit alternative payment arrangements.

Damian Hinds

The landlords selected give a representative sample and consist of stock owning Local Authorities, Arm’s length managed organisations (ALMOs) and Housing Associations.

The six Housing Associations below form the original proof of concept landlords who have continued to pilot Trusted Partner since it began in March 2015.

• Magenta Living
• First Choice Homes Oldham
• Places for People
• Community Gateway
• Your Housing Group
• New Charter

The individual landlords below form the second phase of the Trusted Partner Pilot:

• A2Dominion Group
• Aster Group
• Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Councils
• Catalyst Housing Ltd
• Eildon Housing Association
• Highland Council
• Home Group Ltd
• Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing
• London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
• NPT Homes
• Riverside
• Sanctuary Housing Association Ltd
• Shoreline Housing
• Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing
• Southampton City Council
• Together Housing Group
• Wheatley Housing Group
• Your Homes Newcastle
• Cardiff consortium

This is a group of social landlords piloting a collaborative working approach where they are building on an existing partnership working approach towards housing in Cardiff. The members of the group are:

• Cardiff Council
• Wales & West Housing Association
• United Welsh Housing Association
• Linc Cymru
• Cardiff Community Housing Association
• Hafod Housing Association
• Taff Housing Association
• Cadwyn Housing Association

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the total area of the direct commissioning site at Northstowe has planning permission for housing development.

Brandon Lewis

The planning process is ongoing for these sites. This will be completed in due course working closely with the local communities and local authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the size is of the area of land available for the direct commissioning site for housing at Connaught Barracks.

Brandon Lewis

The planning process is ongoing for these sites. This will be completed in due course working closely with the local communities and local authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the new town of Northstowe will be developed to schedule.

Brandon Lewis

We are committed to the first housing starts on the land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency at Northstowe by the end of 2018, following the necessary infrastructure and other preparatory works. We envisage around 400 homes being started by March 2020 and the cumulative total rising to around 3,000 by March 2025. The detail of the tenure mix will be confirmed following the conclusion of negotiations with the local authority but there will be a very strong focus on the delivery of starter homes.