Housing Matters - December 2024
Monday, 9 December 2024
Read the latest edition of Housing Matters.
Have your say on how your rent is spent
The rent you pay as a Central Bedfordshire Council tenant is used to fund repairs and improvements to your home, as well as to provide new homes. We are committed to delivering value for money and providing high-quality homes for our tenants, and creating spaces where people are proud to live.
Housing rent can only be used to pay for housing; we cannot use it to pay for other council services. Every penny you pay is reinvested in housing. This budget is called the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
As a Council, we are facing significant financial challenges. In the Housing Service, these include increasing costs associated with construction and repair and rent caps and cuts which resulted in a loss of income of £28.3m between 2016 and 2024.
By law, we have a responsibility to ensure that the HRA does not fall into a deficit, and so for our upcoming budget we have several proposals to reduce spending to stay within our budget.
We will continue to invest in building new homes, but this will be less than previous years thereby to maintain the level of investment in the quality and safety of your home. We forecast 151 new homes in 2024/25, which includes 88 independent living apartments for people over 55 years of age. From next year, we will reduce the number of homes we build to around 35 homes a year to reduce borrowing and avoid high interest rates, as well as to maintain the level investment in improvements.
We also plan to reduce our operating costs over the next four years, including a reduction in staffing of around 9 per cent (the equivalent of around 20 full-time members of staff), which will result in an all-round reduction in service. We may be slower to respond to non-urgent enquiries.
Given the loss of rental income over several years due to rent caps and cuts, we are also proposing that we increase rent by 2.7 per cent, which is in line with the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard. This will mean an increase of £3.35 per week for social rent and a £5.91 increase per week for affordable rent.
We know putting rent up and reducing our offer to tenants is not ideal, but these measures are necessary to ensure we protect the HRA budget and continue to maintain safe, quality homes in the long term. In the coming year, we plan to spend money on making improvements to our estates and their green spaces, roof replacements, new windows, kitchens and bathrooms, and asbestos management to ensure that your homes are safe, comfortable, and in good condition.
It’s important you complete the HRA survey and tell us which parts of the service we provide are most important, and where we could reduce costs. We want to hear your views on these proposals and your ideas about what our housing team should focus on and how we can improve the service.
Complete the survey by Tuesday 4 February 2025.
Come and talk to the team about the HRA
Our housing team is running a number of events that outline past, current and future spend and give you a chance to ask questions and share your views. Join the team and find out more at one of the following events:
- Wednesday 11 December at Crescent Court, Toddington from 10am until midday
- Wednesday 18 December at The Birches, Shefford from 11am until midday
We are also hosting four online events:
- Tuesday 17 December from 6pm to 7pm
- Thursday 23 January from 6pm to 7pm
- Saturday 25 January from 10am to 11am
- Wednesday 29 January from 6pm to 7pm
To find out how to join one of the online events, email tenant.involvement@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
The Council budget for 2025 - 2026
As a council, we provide hundreds of services and we are building new facilities like leisure centres, care homes, and investing in schools. We have award-winning parks and Ofsted rates our social care services as good. However, like many councils, we are under tremendous financial pressure.
We have no choice but to make further changes so we can continue to meet the demand for the services we are required to provide by law, so we have set out our proposals for reducing our costs. This will mean we will stop providing some non-essential, non-statutory services, and we will provide less of some other services.
You can have your say on the proposals from 7 January 2025 until 4 February 2025.
Read more about the budget and our proposals.
Don’t leave your home empty in the cold
Avoid burst pipes this winter
Leaving your home unoccupied during cold weather may seem harmless, but it can lead to a big problem - burst pipes. When the temperature drops, the water inside pipes can freeze, causing them to expand and burst. This can result in damage to your home and belongings.
Some prevention tips
- Keep the heat on: Maintain a consistent indoor temperature, especially if you're planning to leave your home empty during the winter. Set your thermostat to at least 13 degrees centigrade to prevent freezing.
- Empty and turn off your water supply: Disconnect your water at the stop cock if you're going to be away for an extended period.
- Ask a neighbour for help: If possible, ask a trustworthy neighbour to check on your home regularly to ensure your heating system is working properly.
Keeping your homes safe
Building safety is one of our top concerns. Making sure that we service your gas boilers, give advice and treat damp and mould, and keep the walls and roofs sound are a priority.
In buildings with communal areas and joint entrances, there are more safety features to consider such as fire prevention and what to do if fire does happen. Visit the new safety pages on our website for some helpful pointers.
If you do have an issue with your home or communal areas, let us know by reporting them online. We prioritise any incidents that affect yours or anyone else’s safety.
In case of emergency, make sure you are safe and call 999.
The new consumer standards and you
Your feedback is important to make sure we’re on the right track! With the new consumer standards regulating social housing, we have looked at our landlord service and put together a draft Housing Regulatory Development Plan to improve the services we provide to you.
We'd now like to hear your thoughts, and encourage you to sign up for any of the one-off focus groups that interest you. They’ll be online and in-person, and we’ll have sessions during the day and in the evening to fit your schedule. You’ll also receive a £10 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for taking part!
To find out more or join one of the groups, email tenant.involvement@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
A message ahead of Christmas
What to do if you need support during the festive period
Support with repairs: You can still report repairs during the festive period using our online portal.
For urgent repairs, call the repairs hotline: 0800 074 0263.
Your rent and estates: We will be available during normal working hours throughout Christmas week. If there is an immediate threat of harm, call 999.
Homelessness: If you or someone you know is at risk of homelessness, find support online.
Thank you for your continued support. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.