Supported Housing Tenants Will Benefit From Rent Reduction

Stevenage Borough Council has pledged to defy the government and implement a 1% rent reduction for supported housing tenants. The government last month announced supported housing will be excluded from the four-year rent reduction for a year from April while the government considers the findings of its review into the costs of specialist housing. However Labour-led Stevenage Council, which set its rent levels the day before the government announcement, is now “reassuring” its supported housing tenants their rents will be reduced by 1% in 2016/17. The council has 959 supported housing properties and has estimated the rent cut will cost £79,000, which will come out of its housing revenue account. Read more on the Stevenage BC website.

Council to Fill Housing Void Left by RtB Sales

A council that has lost nearly 200 of its homes to right to buy in the last two years has announced plans for a large housebuilding programme to fill the void. Stevenage Borough council has laid out plans to build 1,900 new homes, around 550 of them in the next ten years, to fill the void left by RtB sales. The plans also include continued significant investment in existing council homes to maintain their quality and sustainability, and a new programme - 'Decent Neighbourhoods' - which the council says will complement the decent homes programme and improve residents’ quality of life. The plan also focuses on value for money for tenants and leaseholders paying rent and fees. Read more on 24dash.

Stevenage Takes ALMO Back In House

The decision taken by Stevenage Council to bring its housing stock back in house took effect on 1 December. Councillors voted to bring the ALMO back in house in September, following a review of the council’s housing services. The council said the move would save between £635,000 and £860,000 a year. The ALMO has run the council’s 8,300 homes since 2006. Stevenage Homes staff have now transferred to Stevenage Council employment and the Stevenage Homes name and logo will continue to be used. Read more on the Stevenage Borough website.