General Discussion
I just tried to register and instead of sending a link to confirm my registration, it's emailed me as if I am the administrator, requesting permission for me to have access!
Thanks to the 'Home Choice' schemes homes have to be built where people want them. Unfortunately one of those places is down here.
There are 'Home Choice' schemes right across the country. Many, if not most, counties have gone that way.
I heard today (and would like to stress that this is only hearsay) that 100s of houses in the new build developments around Exmouth have been bought up by Liverpool City Council and another midlands/northern city council (whose name escapes me - possibly Manchester). I expect the same thing to happen in Dawlish. A few months ago we were approached by a London Borough Council who wanted to a) buy our stock or failing that b) lease our stock en masse or failing that c) form a partnership with us where their tenants/waiting list population would have priority over other applicants.
The only reason for this is the Home Choice Schemes and the fact that they can off load some of their tenants/waiting lists who do not need to live in these cities to this area. If people want to keep open spaces down here this has to stop.
I too would like everyone to be able to live where they want be they employed, unemployed, pensioners, disabled or a combination of all these things and more but it just can't happen. It is just not sustainable!
Lynne, just a few:
www.homechoicebristol.co.uk/
www.northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk/
www.oxford.gov.uk › Housing › Finding a Home
www.kenthomechoice.org.uk/
www.birminghamhomechoice.org.uk/
www.buckshomechoice.gov.uk/
www.oxfordshirehomechoice.org.uk/
www.hampshirehomechoice.org.uk/
www.dorsethomechoice.org/
www.cornwallhomechoice.org.uk/
www.myhomechoicefyldecoast.co.uk/
www.crawley-homechoice.org.uk/
www.hertschoicehomes.org.uk/
This is just the first page of Google if you put in Home Choice Schemes UK - and there are pages and pages of them.
As you say yourself it is only hearsay. Which makes me wonder why you didn't check out its veracity before you posted what you did.
You write "I expect the same thing to happen in Dawlish. A few months ago we were approached by a London Borough Council who wanted to a) buy our stock or failing that b) lease our stock en masse or failing that c) form a partnership with us where their tenants/waiting list population would have priority over other applicants".
Dawlish Town Council doesn't own any housing stock.
Who are the 'we' that was approached?
Teignbridge District Council doesn't own any housing stock. (Teign Housing does)
Are you talking about a particular housing association with properties here?
Some detail would be appreciated to back up what you allege.
Found this concerning movement in and out of Teignbridge by social housing tenants via Devon Home Choice. It is from a document presented to TDC's Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January of this year.
"Registering only those with a local connection
Analysis of Teignbridge statistics shows that approximately 20% of lets of social housing through DHC to date have gone to people moving from outside Teignbridge. However, many applicants living outside the area may still have a local connection, especially when housed in areas on the edge of the district such as Buckfastleigh. DHC allows people to move across local authority boundaries without a local connection. However, inwards migration cannot exceed outwards migration by more than 2% of lets (which for Teignbridge is approx. 7 lettings). Since DHC was introduced, most months we have had more people moving from Teignbridge to other areas, but there have been some months where the trend is reversed and on two occasions we have reached the maximum number and then refused further lets to those without a local connection until the balance has been restored. Recent analysis of people moving into Teignbridge from other areas indicates that a high proportion go for properties which are harder to let and therefore attract fewer bids. We are working with Registered Providers to try to ensure that they tackle harder to let stock (typically older sheltered housing). If we refused to register anyone without a local connection, there is little doubt that other local authorities would apply the same criteria. Given that relatively high levels of people choose to move outside the Teignbridge area, this could be a disadvantage. The current arrangements appear to be working well and it is therefore not proposed to introduce additional restrictions on registration."
@Lynne. Who mentioned Dawlish Town Council?
Who mentioned Teignbridge District Council?
Why am I answerable to you?
Who made you Sheriff?
Who made an allegation? I stated correspondence that 'we' have received.
Your quote does not reflect the concerns stated to me by a County Councillor last week.
I suppose you want evidence of all of this Your Honour?
Why don't we just wait and see?
I found this during a simple Google search - is this the veracity you wanted? The rumours have been denied by both Birmingham and Liverpool City Councils but the last post is interesting: http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/comments/newham_council_accused_of_social_cleansing/
and this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/aug/22/housingmarket-london-data
I note that the claire wright link has comments concerning this rumour up to the day before the last set of local elections. Nothing since. Just co-incidence I am sure.
This rumour has, apparently, been doing the rounds for some time. (I've made my own enquiries you see)
I can find no reference to London boroughs looking to re-house people down here in that Guardian link you've posted.
As you didn't put quotation marks around the following;
I heard today (and would like to stress that this is only hearsay) that 100s of houses in the new build developments around Exmouth have been bought up by Liverpool City Council and another midlands/northern city council (whose name escapes me - possibly Manchester). I expect the same thing to happen in Dawlish. A few months ago we were approached by a London Borough Council who wanted to a) buy our stock or failing that b) lease our stock en masse or failing that c) form a partnership with us where their tenants/waiting list population would have priority over other applicants.
It read to me that you had written it. Which is why I asked the questions that I did. So I take it that someone else has written it? Interested know who is its author - then I can ask them some questions just as I asked you.
And if it isn't an allegation then why not tell us more about it? I am sure many of us would like to have more info or know where we could get that info.
Do you think County Councillor Claire Wright might be a person I should contact?
Oh goody Sheriff Lynne has got something new to get her knickers in a twist about. Shame there isn't a smiley for rolling your eyes, you'll just have to imagine me doing it instead.
@Lynne. i did write it and have no idea where you are coming from or going to on that!
What more can I tell you other than that we were approached by a London Borough Council about our housing stock? There is nothing more to tell!
I have never met nor conversed with a County Councillor called Claire Wright and was blissfully ignorant of her existence until I found the above link.
Unlucky Sherlock.
Actually Huw there is something to tell - and that who is, who is the 'we' that were approached, and which London Borough Council was it that asked about the housing stock?
I just wondered if it was Newham as apparently they sent out a round robin concerning relocating people from that borough about a year or so ago.
This link gives more info http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/councils-plan-to-move-tenants-out-of-london/6521606.article
I work for an independent HA/RSL and must stress that what I put on here does not necessarily reflect the views of that not for profit organisation or those of the unpaid/no expenses committee that runs it.
If you Google my name I'm sure you'll be able to come up with who/what I work for.
"Apparently" Newham sent out a round robin? "Which make me wonder why you didn't check out it's veracity before you posted what you did"!ROFL.
The website link in the original post has been removed from the web, however for those interested there is a facebook page belonging to the same group.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/305544219465250/