Flintshire County Council’s housing service is a finalist at the Welsh Housing Awards 2011 – the only council to be short-listed twice!
The Chartered Institute of Housing in Wales, CIH Cymru, has short-listed the Council in two award categories – ‘Outstanding Leadership by a Local Authority’, and ‘Developing Skills and Capacity’.
Under the ‘Outstanding Leadership by a Local Authority’ category, Flintshire has been recognised for its work securing gifted houses for our local communities.
An innovative approach by Flintshire County Council led to three new housing units being gifted to the authority as part of the affordable housing policy, with a further 26 in the pipeline.
Working in partnership, the Council’s Housing Strategy Team, and colleagues from Planning, found a flexible way to make the most of existing planning legislation, by stipulating the provision of gifted units to the Council, to the value of 30% of the development, instead of a 30% affordable housing provision being required. Flintshire is one of the first authorities to acquire gifted housing using a Section 106 contribution and the Council intends to deliver more affordable housing this way.
Flintshire County Council is also a finalist in the ‘Developing Skills and Capacity’ category for its Community Learning and Involvement Programme (CLIP). The Council’s housing department has developed a joined up approach to community learning and involvement, creating a culture of staff and tenants learning together and supporting each other in gaining knowledge and experience in community matters. This approach to learning is a key factor in the department’s work to become an involvement focussed neighbourhood service.
Councillor Helen Brown, Executive Member for Housing, said:
“This is great news and is proof of the hard work and dedication shown by staff within the Council’s Housing Department. We are particularly proud that we are the only council in Wales short-listed for two Welsh Housing Awards!”
Councillor Tony Sharps, Executive Member for Environment, said:
“I’m extremely proud that our Housing Department is a finalist in these awards. It’s particularly pleasing that partnership work between the housing strategy and planning teams has been recognised, in their efforts securing gifted housing in the county.”
Overall winners will be announced at the Welsh Housing Awards dinner to be held at the Vale Resort, Cardiff on Friday 25 November 2011.
