Newcastle to consult on bringing housing back in house

Following a housing review that considered changing legislation, financial challenges faced by the social housing sector and the increased demand for council housing in the city, the cabinet agreed that bringing all housing services together in one team is their preferred option.

This chosen option, which was one of three alternatives, will see all services currently delivered by Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), the council’s arms‑length management organisation (ALMO), become the council’s direct responsibility.

During the meeting, cabinet members heard how bringing all housing-related services together would free up resources of around £1 million which would be invested into housing stock and improving services for tenants. It would also allow the council to directly manage risks associated with the new regulatory framework.

Before a final decision is made, the council are required to carry out a full consultation with tenants and leaseholders on the proposals.

Full details of the consultation will be published later this year.

Councillor Irim Ali, Cabinet Member for a Dynamic City said “Providing a range of good quality housing to meet the diverse needs of residents is a key priority for the council.

“This is an exciting opportunity to improve the way we manage and deliver council housing in Newcastle. We are committed to making sure council tenants and leaseholders get the best possible service and I am sure that we can do this more effectively if all our housing services are brought together in one team.

“We want everyone to feel part of our plans for the future of housing in our city and the consultation will help us to achieve that aim. I am really looking forward to hearing what residents have to say so that, together, we can develop a fantastic new housing service that will help us deliver now and in the future.”

A spokesperson for the YHN Board said “Bringing all housing services together could mean some changes for tenants and leaseholders and it is vitally important that they have a say on the proposals.

“We will support them and the council throughout the process and will continue to remain fully committed to the delivery of excellent housing services for our customers.”