re'new

Posted By re'new on February 3, 2012

Friday 3^rd February 2012

News – Right to buy likely to fail says report.  The government’s attempt to re-ignite right to buy sales by increasing the discounts available to tenants will fail to deliver the promise of one for one replacements, according to property analyst Hometrack.

News – Leeds landlord prosecuted for poor home standards.  A private landlord in Leeds has been found guilty for failing to protect his tenants against fire and dampness in the house they are renting.  Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for neighbourhoods and housing, said: “The fines imposed by the court are a reminder to landlords of the seriousness of failing to protect the safety of their tenants.

Thursday 2^nd February 2012

News – Coalition overturns Lords amendments on welfare and bans further dissent.  Government uses rare parliamentary procedure to annul seven adjustments to reform and prevent further challenges from peers.  The coalition has raised the stakes over its welfare bill by overturning seven key Lords amendments passed to soften the reforms, and taken the rare step to direct peers they have no constitutional right to challenge the Commons’ decisions further.

News – Leeds City Centre homeless hostel to close.  More than 40 people will be uprooted next month when a homeless hostel run by a charity closes its doors.  Ladybeck House Hostel on Ladybeck Close will shut on March 4 after Leeds City Council deemed it ‘no longer fit for purpose’.  Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for neighbourhoods and housing stated that direct access hostel services will still be available while the council looks at a more effective homeless service.

News – Councils fail to spend thousands earmarked for housing poor tenants.  Housing network reports that local authorities are failing to spend thousands of pounds earmarked by the government for needy families that cannot afford rent and other housing costs.  New figures show that nearly £1m of the £20m set aside for discretionary housing payments in 2010-11 by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was left untouched by councils.

Wednesday 1^st February 2012

News – £1billion cash boost for pro-growth communities.  Communities with ambitions for economic growth have today been rewarded with a cash boost of nearly £1billion to get their projects off the ground and improve their local areas.  The funding has been allocated to the country’s 38 Local Enterprise Partnerships, who will now decide what to prioritise locally.

News – Grant Shapps: Housing takes centre stage in economic recovery plans.  Housing Minister Grant Shapps today highlighted how the Government’s action to get Britain building again will play a vital and central role in getting the country’s economy on the road to recovery.

News – Leeds PFI scheme to go ahead after year long delay.  Inside Housing reports that a £180 million project to build 388 new homes and refurbish 1,200 more in Little London, Beeston Hill and Holbeck has been given the go ahead after months of costly delays.

Tuesday 31^st January 2012

Consultation - Changes to the Building Regulations in England: Section four – the building control system.  This DCLG consultation paper sets out the detailed proposals on the Building Control System, and is Section four of four, relating to the 2012 Building Regulations consultation exercise. The deadline for submission of comments for Section four is 27 April 2012.    

Free Workshop – Neighbourhood planning workshops for civic groups.  Civic Voice will be holding five free workshops across the country on neighbourhood planning.  Workshops will offer opportunities to discuss the process of neighbourhood plans; identify existing tools to help formulate the plan and will act as a platform to share ideas.  Workshops will be held in Ashford, Bristol, Peterborough, Preston and Wakefield. 

Monday 30^th January 2012

Event – Leeds Built Environment under spotlight.  Leeds Built Environment is the topic under the spotlight at a major conference being held in Leeds next month. The event will feature key note addresses from leading players from the city’s public and private sectors.  Organised by re’new, those taking to the platform include Gerald Jennings, the Head of Land Securities’ Leeds office; Rob Wolfe, the Project Director of Construction Yorkshire; and re’new Chief Executive Steve Williamson.  The event is priced at £50 per organization covering two delegate places and will take place at the Norman Hunter Suite, Elland Road Leeds on Thursday 23^rd February from 10am-4pm.  Please contact Kath.shaw@renew-leeds.co.uk, telephone 0113 3833907 for more information.

News - Repairs revolution or DIY disaster? In two months’ time the government plans to roll out a scheme which pays tenants in England to carry out their own repairs. Simon Brandon examines the tenant cashback pilot projects to find out what lessons have been learned.

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Tags: Construction, Construction Leeds, Construction Yorkshire, Council, Daily, Employment, February 2012, Housing, Local Enterprise, Localism, Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood Planning, news, NPPF, Planning, re'new, Regeneration, Young People

Posted By re'new on January 27, 2012

Friday 27^th January 2012

News - Councils bite into new homes bonus.  Following freedom of information requests to all 349 councils which received the bonus last April, Inside Housing reveals that just 29 per cent are using the cash to support housing development or other community projects.

Thursday 26^th January 2012

Publication – Local authority action for energy efficiency in housing stock.  The Homes and Communities Agency has published an analysis of energy efficiency data from the Decent Homes Standard Backlog programme bids.

Wednesday 25^th January 2012

Guidance – Empty Homes Standard Note (House of Commons). This note outlines local authorities’ powers to tackle empty housing; discusses Government action around this issue and sets out the further measures that campaigning organisations are requesting.

News – Community groups to bid for empty homes cash.  Andrew Stunell has published details of the community grants fund, which will allow registered charities, social enterprises or community interest companies to bid for a portion of the £100 million pot.  Application guidance can be found here. Bidding will end on April 17. 

Tuesday 24^th January 2012

News – Grant Shapps: Councils should help older people live at home for longer.  Housing Minister Grant Shapps and Communities Minister Andrew Stunell have called on councils to use every opportunity under the New Deal for Older People to give elderly people more choice and control over where they live, so they are not pressured to sell their home or move into residential care.

News – Councils are central to tackling the housing crisis.  The report ‘Meeting Local Housing Demand: a guide for elected members’ published by the HCA and LGA makes suggestions as to how councils and elected members could go about delivering new homes, improving existing ones and making housing central to local areas.

Monday 23^rd January 2012

News – Leeds housing crisis should spark public outcry.  Families suffering in the Leeds housing crisis are in danger of becoming the ‘forgotten victims’, an expert warned today. Social housing chief David Orr said if NHS waiting times had spiralled like housing waiting lists there would be a “public outcry”.

News – Empty government buildings to be offered to small firms for business.  David Cameron plans to make 300 premises available at low rates for one year to entrepreneurs and new companies

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Tags: Council, Daily, Housing, January 2012, Localism, Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood Planning, news, NPPF, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on January 20, 2012

Friday 20^th January 2012

News – Battle of ‘right to own’ heats up.  Frustrated tenants’ groups have called on the government to publish a consultation on ‘right to own’ regulations – after a delay of almost a year.  The CLG originally said it hoped to launch the consultation in February 2011, but it has been delayed. A spokesperson said this is due to ‘wanting to make sure it gets it right’.

News – Private landlords dismiss Cameron rent claim.  The leading trade body representing 1.2 million private landlords in the UK has dismissed David Cameron’s claim that rents are falling in the sector as a result of the coalition government’s welfare reforms.

Thursday 19^th January 2012

News – Direct payment pilot landlords revealed.  The Department for Work and Pensions has announced the names of social landlords taking part in direct payment pilot projects. The government plans to pay benefit direct to social housing tenants in order to encourage people to take responsibility for their finances.

Wednesday 18^th January 2012

News - City calls for radical changes as Westminster accused of betraying young.  The Yorkshire Post reports today that Leeds City Council will consider a White Paper Motion asking Tom Riordan to write to the Minister for Children and Families highlighting policies the authority believes are damaging the region’s economy by unfairly hitting the young – such as the ending of the Education Maintenance Allowance and the raising of tuition fees.

Tuesday 17^th January 2012

News – Historic powers in the Localism Act pass down to communities.  Exactly two months on from Royal Assent of the Act a parliamentary measure, known as a commencement order, has officially brought into effect much of this flagship legislation, handing new powers to communities.

Monday 16^th January 2012

News – Third sector groups can now join credit unions.  From 8 January 2012, charities, community groups and social enterprises across England, Scotland and Wales can, for the first time, join a credit union and use the financial services it provides.

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Tags: Big Society, Council, Daily, Housing, January 2012, Localism, National Family Week, Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood Planning, news, NPPF, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on January 13, 2012

Friday 13^th January 2012

Community Event – Big Energy Day.  Chapeltown Citizens Advice Bureau is holding a Big Energy Day on Thursday 19^th January from 10am -4pm at the Reginald Centre in Chapeltown.  LATCH, Green Doctor, Care and Repair, Feel Good Factor and Chapeltown CAB will be there to give practical advice and information to help people cut their fuel bills and get all the financial support they are entitled to.

Thursday 12^th January 2012

News – Housing Minister announces ‘up to two years behind bars for tenancy cheats’.  Grant Shapps has set out proposals to criminalise the abuse of social homes – such as unlawful subletting and key-selling – with a possible two year jail sentence. He said the plans could free up thousands of homes for housing waiting lists.

Wednesday 11^th January 2012

Update – Welfare Reform Bill 2010-11.  The Bill is currently at House of Lords ‘Report Stage’ before entering into the third reading and Royal Assent stages.  The Bill follows the November 2010 White Paper, ‘Universal Credit: welfare that works’, which set out the Coalition Government’s proposals for reforming welfare to improve work incentives, simplify the benefits system and tackle administrative complexity.

Guidance – Market Rent.  The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have published this user guide for providers of Affordable Rented Housing. The guide aims to assist registered providers to comply with standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing when assessing the market rent to be incorporated into the calculation of an Affordable Rent.

Tuesday 10^th January 2012

News – Calls to seek village green status in battle to save open spaces.  The Yorkshire Post reports that conservationists say communities across Yorkshire should act now to ensure that their local parks, fields and green spaces are protected from development by applying to make them village or town greens as current law prevents development on land which is registered as such.

Monday 9^th January 2012

News – Leeds to retain lower affordable housing targets.  Leeds City Council’s interim affordable housing policy, which was agreed last February, included a provision to reduce the percentage of affordable homes that developers must include in their schemes in an attempt to stimulate the local housing market.

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Tags: Big Society, Council, Daily, Housing, January 2012, Localism, Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood Planning, news, NPPF, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on January 6, 2012

Friday 6^th January 2012

News – MPs call for the Right To Buy to be extended.  The right to buy should be extended to one million housing association tenants who are currently excluded from the offer, according to a report.

Public event – Playful Leeds. Residents from across Leeds are invited to attend a public event at Leeds Museum on Saturday 14 January 2012, 1-4pm. The event marks the start of a process to explore how to make Leeds a more playful place to live and work. The first in a series of free events by Cultivate in 2012 is designed to appeal to adults as well as children and young people.   To attend please visit: http://playfulleeds.eventbrite.com/ or follow the project on Twitter @playfulleeds.

Thursday 5^th January 2012

News – Government issues guidance on housing allocation.  The communities and local government department today published guidance on allocations which housing minister Grant Shapps says will ‘restore pride to social housing.’  The guidance follows provisions in the Localism Act, which gives local authorities more freedom to determine what classes of people are eligible for social housing.

News – Get Britain Building.  This Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) programme intends to unlock stalled sites with planning permission to support construction activity and provide new homes.  The programme is open to all private sector organisations which control land and can develop at least 25 homes on the stalled site by December 2014. The deadline for bids is 12 noon, Monday 30^th January 2012.

Wednesday 4^th January 2012

Free Seminar – Localism.  PKF Accountants and Business Lawyers are holding a free seminar on Localism at Thorpe Park Hotel on Thursday 26^th January 2012.  Among the speakers will be Phil Crabtree, Chief Planning Officer of Leeds City Council providing a local authority’s view of localism. To register please email Lorraine Byrne or call 0161 819 3362.

News – Middleton Leisure Centre has been awarded more than £140,000 by Sports England to add to nearly £740,000 already earmarked for the renovation. 

Tuesday 3^rd January 2012

News – LCC’s response to the Government’s draft Neighbourhood Planning regulations can be viewed in this report due to be presented to Executive Board Wednesday 4^th January 2012.  The report states that most of the reforms are welcomed in giving greater flexibility and involvement in planning to the local community, yet there are areas for concern and uncertainties mainly with reference to resource issues.

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Tags: Council, Daily, Housing, January 2012, Localism, Neighbourhood, Neighbourhood Planning, NPPF, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on December 15, 2011

Friday 16^th December 2011

News – Hundreds of beds released in south Leeds.  Aire Valley Homes have released 181 family homes with 284 additional bedrooms through the council run scheme which started in 2008. The majority of the released houses were three-bed properties (120).

News - Bedroom tax ‘defeated’ in the House of Lords.  The government has been defeated over controversial plans for a ‘bedroom tax’ for social housing tenants deemed to be under-occupying their homes.

Thursday 15^th December 2011

Consultation – Aire Valley Leeds Local Development Orders.  Consultation is underway on the first of the proposed Local Development Orders for Aire Valley Leeds Enterprise Zone.  It is proposed that the Aire Valley Leeds Enterprise Zone LDO1 on Solar Panels will permit the installation of roof mounted solar panels (thermal or photovoltaic) on non-domestic buildings in the whole of the Aire Valley Leeds area (see plan for boundary).

Guidance – Community-led groups invited to bid for funding.  The HCA has published guidance for community-led groups wishing to apply for funding through the Affordable Homes Programme.  Community groups include Community Land Trusts, mutual and co-operatives, co-operatives, self-build and others.  AHP funding is available for affordable rent, shared ownership and equity loan products.

Wednesday 14^th December 2011

Resource – HCA Community Engagement Toolkit.  From building new homes to regenerating existing communities, or responding to community needs and aspirations.  All are key to delivery and sustainability.  This toolkit provided by the HCA is designed to provide a practical guide for working alongside local authorities and other partners.

News – High street regeneration ‘should include homes’.  Mary Portas’s report for government on the decline of town centres blamed the growth of online shopping and out-of-town retail developments for ‘dying’ high streets. The report says high streets should become ‘places where we go to engage with other people in our communities, where shopping is just one small part of a rich mix of activities’. Mary Portas says housing will be part of this and that different agencies need to work together to improve town planning.

Tuesday 13^th December 2011

Invite – New Citizens’ Panel for Leeds.  Leeds City Council is inviting people to join the new Citizens’ Panel for Leeds.  The panel is a large group of Leeds people from all backgrounds who feedback opinion about the services and issues affecting them. You’ll be asked to help out a number of times a year with group discussions, workshops, online and on paper.  For more information contact 0113 247 4610 or citizenspanel@leeds.gov.uk

News – Leeds City Council Regeneration Scrutiny Board will consider a report on a Review of Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Partnership on 19 December.  The report recommends that the Board agree to retain the existing partnership arrangements. (p29-33, LCC Scrutiny Board (Regeneration), Public Document Pack)

Monday 12^th December 2011

News – ‘Bedroom tax’ threat to struggling Leeds families.  The Government plans to cut housing benefit to people who are living in council or social housing which has a ‘spare’ bedroom.  Those with one empty room – even if it is in use much of the time – will lose 15 per cent of their benefit while those with two will lose 25 per cent.

News – Mortgage boost for first-time buyers.  Mortgage payments for first-time buyers are at their most affordable for nearly eight years due to low interest rates, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

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Tags: Council, Daily, Employment, Housing, Local Enterprise, Neighbourhood, news, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on December 9, 2011

Friday 9^th December 2011

Event – Low Carbon Leeds City Region: How we can save £1 billion a year on energy.  Join the Centre for Low Carbon Futures for the launch of groundbreaking research on the potential for a truly commercially viable, energy efficient, low carbon Leeds City Region. Queens Hotel, Monday 9^th January 2012, 3-5pm.

Thursday 8^th December 2011

Report – Council response to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).  Leeds City Council’s proposed response to the Government’s draft regulations for reform of the CIL will be reported to Executive Board on 14^th December 2011.  The council propose that CIL should not be the sole mechanism for providing affordable housing, as “on site provision through section 106 remains the preferred approach and (is) likely to produce more affordable housing with greater certainty over delivery, (yet) the ability to use CIL would provide a useful addition.” (p32-346, Leeds City Council Executive Board Public Document Pack, Agenda item 23).

Wednesday 7^th December 2011

News – Austerity: the rise of the Royle family lifestyle.  Recession has led to a boom in “multi-generational households” seeking shelter from financial hardship. Multi-generational households have always been a self-help anti-poverty programme for the poor in the UK. They are most prevalent in some of Britain’s most deprived areas: some which have high concentrations of Asian and African-Caribbean families, where multi-generational living is more culturally ingrained.

News – Plan for earlier section 106 deal rejigs.  Developers whose schemes stalled during the credit crunch could be able to force the renegotiation of section 106 planning gain deals after two years rather than the current five under government plans to kick-start development on mothballed sites.  A consultation on the plans will be published by the end of January 2012.

Tuesday 6^th December 2011

Survey – The Impact of Cuts.  Third Sector Leeds is running a survey on the impact of cuts on Third Sector organisations in Leeds. If you would like to participate please ensure you respond by 5pm Wednesday 14 December 2011. 

Monday 5^th December 2011

News – Housing association enters market rent sector.  Sanctuary Housing Association has moved to diversify its portfolio by buying a number of homes in the market rent sector.

News – Leeds railway station entrance plans on show.  Plans for a £14.2m pedestrian entrance to the south of the station next to the River Aire, have gone on show at Leeds railway station.

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Tags: Council, Daily, Employment, Housing, Local Enterprise, Neighbourhood, news, Planning, re'new, Regeneration, Young People

Posted By re'new on December 2, 2011

Friday 2^nd November 2011

News – Leeds housing crisis: Rents set to rocket as crisis deepens for many.  A Yorkshire Evening Post investigation is looking at the impact of the Leeds housing crisis.  The article adds that experts at the National Housing Federation predict that over the next five years rents are expected to rise by about 20 per cent due to the huge demand for rental properties.

News – Search for sites to create new ‘villages’.  Jobs could be created in Yorkshire by a major housing fund that wants to create campus-style villages.  The project, which was launched at law firm Nabarro’s Sheffield office, has backing from City-based institutions. It is designed to deliver affordable homes to people who cannot afford a mortgage.

Thursday 1^st November 2011

News - Housing to gain from £30bn infrastructure fund. The social housing sector could be in line to benefit from a multi-billion pound government deal to encourage pension funds to invest in infrastructure projects.

Wednesday 30^th November 2011

News - £71 million to end legacy of former Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder programme. A new fund will help tackle the ‘ghost streets’ across the Midlands and the north of England left by the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder programme. Introduced in 2002, the Whitehall programme led to the demolition and clearance of dilapidated streets across the country – but left thousands of families trapped in unsellable homes.

Tuesday 29^th November 2011

News – State of the City report.  Leeds City Council’s Full Council will be considering the State of the City report on Wednesday 7^th December’11.  The State of the City Report was commissioned by the Leeds initiative Board and will be used by the Board to assess progress in delivering improved outcomes for the people of Leeds.

Monday 28^th November 2011

Highlight – Leeds City Council’s Chief Executive interview with Yorkshire Evening post provides an insight into the former Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward and his criticism of Leeds that it hasn’t shouted about itself enough. 

Tom Riordan: “What we need to do is make sure the local economy is healthy, that there are still jobs for young people and that people have a good quality of life.”

Friday 25^th November 2011

News – Neighbourhood planning FAQs.  The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) held a series of Neighbourhood Planning Frontrunner group meetings over recent months. Questions raised during these meetings have been answered by DCLG including how to resource neighbourhood planning.

News – Low private rents stifling housing supply.  A report on the state of the private rented sector has warned that current low returns for landlords are restricting the supply of housing.

Thursday 24^th November 2011

News – Waterways charity ‘to intensify regeneration work’.  The charity that next spring will take over control of canals in England and Wales from British Waterways hopes to use its new financial freedom to intensify its predecessor’s regeneration activity.

Wednesday 23^rd November 2011

News - Councils ‘must’ show build plans to keep RTB cash.  Local authorities have been warned that they must show the government they can build the necessary replacement housing themselves if they want to retain receipts from improved right to buy sales.

News – Developers backtrack on affordable homes pledges.  Private developers are tearing up agreed planning applications to submit new ones with lower affordable homes quotas in a bid to take advantage of a council policy, according to Inside Housing.  Leeds City Council regeneration scrutiny board is due to meet on Tuesday 29 November to discuss the situation.  A report to the regeneration scrutiny board can be read in full here.

Tuesday 22^nd November 2011

News – Community Infrastructure Levy – Direct Support.  The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) are inviting local authorities, either collectively or individually, to get involved in their CIL support programme.  Contact Gilian Macinnes on 07717720729 or email pas@local.gov.uk  for more information.

Monday 21^st November 2011

News – Housing strategy to be backed by £400m fund.  David Cameron and Nick Clegg will today unveil a £400 million fund to kickstart development schemes which have stalled due to lack of finance.

News – Landlord wants right to buy extended to RSLs.  HomeGroup has called on the government to extend right-to-buy to registered providers in the wake of the release of the housing strategy.

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Tags: Housing, Neighbourhood, news, November 2011, Planning, re'new, Regeneration, Young People

Posted By re'new on November 17, 2011

Friday 18th November 2011

Event – ‘Chapeltown Community Festive Fayre’ will be held on Saturday 3rd December, hosted by Chapeltown Development Trust.   There will be carol singers from local choirs, seasonal refreshments, decorations, a raffle and a wide range of stalls for people to do their holiday present shopping.  If you are interested in having your own stall for a small donation of £10 at this fayre please contact Chapeltown Development by 24th November by email: info@chapeltowndt.org.uk or telephone: 0113 2454344.

Thursday 17th November 2011

News – Bradfordians to have their say in council’s 20-year plan for growth.  People are being invited to share their views on the future of managing development and growth in the Bradford district over the next two decades.  As part of a 12-week public engagement on the council’s Local Development Framework’s (LDF) core strategy, Bradford Council has set up drop-in consultation events during November and December for local residents and other interested parties to find out more about the document and to share their views.

Wednesday 16th November 2011

News – Britain in Bloom brings communities together.  Britain in Bloom is not all about pretty villages. The campaign does wonders for community cohesion.  The RHS today released a report examining the social, economic and environmental impact of what those involved refer to as “Bloom”. A survey of more than 230 of the 2,100 groups across the UK found the social impact was significant.  There was near-unanimous agreement that the work built stronger communities: 90% said the greatest impact was of being involved – over and above more obvious physical impacts such as cleaner and greener surroundings and the regeneration of rundown areas – because it brought together people who had lived near each other for years but had never spoken.

News – Housing crisis but still 15,000 empty Leeds homes.  As Leeds faces a growing demand for housing it has been revealed that over 15,000 homes across the city stand empty.  The number of vacant properties are to be discussed at a landlords’ conference, the first of its kind in Leeds, on Friday (November 18) at the Carriageworks in Millennium Square.

Tuesday 15th November 2011

News – CIH head warns sector over housing strategy.  The government’s housing strategy is now expected to be published next week.  It is expected to contain announcements about ways of bringing forward more public land and a statement about how the government intends to incentivise investment in the private rented sector.  The interim chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing has warned that the government’s housing strategy might merely repeat previous announcements.

News – Osborne reveals PFI assessment.  Chancellor George Osborne has announced a “fundamental reassessment” of the Government’s controversial Private Finance Initiative (PFI), with the aim of cutting costs and improving transparency.

Monday 14th November 2011

News – Eric Pickles launch of ‘Near Neighbours’ fund.  A Near Neighbours small grants fund is now up and running and grants of between £250 and £5000 are being awarded to grass roots groups in four targeted geographical areas including the M62 “mill towns” corridor Bradford, Burnley and Oldham.  Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has spoken of the vital role that faith groups play in local communities, enriching neighbourhoods and improving the lives of those around them.

News – Boris Johnson calls for NPPF changes.  London mayor Boris Johnson has warned ministers that the draft national planning policy framework (NPPF) is too focused on economic development.

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Tags: Council, Daily, Housing, Neighbourhood, news, November 2011, Planning, re'new, Regeneration

Posted By re'new on November 11, 2011

Friday 11^th November 2011

Event – Construction Leeds is inviting all age groups to attend drop in sessions providing opportunities to find out about work opportunities in Leeds and meet with contractors.  Forthcoming sessions to be held from 3-5pm on Tuesday 15 November at Shine, Harehills LS11 8ND and Tuesday 22 November at Space@, Little London Primary School LS7 1SR.  For more information email admin@construction-leeds.org.uk or telephone 0113 8814810.

Support for 16-18 year olds – Real & ETC is a training and employability support programme for 16-18 year olds who are looking for help getting the skills required for finding a job.  For more information contact Laura Dooher, igen Support Worker on 07860 402740.

Thursday 10^th November 2011

News – Leeds Apprenticeship Recognition Awards.  Have you made your nomination yet? The awards were launched on Monday 17 October 2011 to spotlight the outstanding contributions apprenticeships make to the city.  Nominations can be emailed to appawards@leeds.gov.uk and should arrive no later than 5pm on Friday 18 November 2011.  The Leeds Apprenticeship Recognition Award Ceremony will be held at Leeds Civic Hall on Wednesday 8 February 2012, to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week. 

News – Reports rule out green risk.  A set of assessments published by the government into its decision to scrap regional strategies have concluded that their revocation is “highly unlikely” to result in any significant adverse environmental effects.

Wednesday 9^th November 2011

News – Housing strategy publication date slips.  According to the latest structural reform plan update, the strategy will set out the “overall approach to housing policy, including how we are supporting an increase in the supply and quality of new private and social housing, helping those seeking a home of their own, whether to rent or buy”.  The reason for the missed deadline is that “the document will be published this autumn and will include the right to buy announcement made during the party conference season”.

News – Government considers handing planning cash to communities.  The government is considering providing direct funding for communities to undertake neighbourhood planning, a Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) official told a London conference today.

News – Plymouth City Council unveils CIL plans.  Plymouth City Council has become the latest local authority to publish its plans for how it intends to charge a new tax on development to raise funds for infrastructure.

In terms of delivering affordable housing, Plymouth City Council believes that negotiation of affordable housing through the planning application process can be complex, thus a  CIL, or Section 106 plus CIL based approach has the potential to simplify the planning application process.

Event – Leeds Third Sector Conference.  This conference held on Wednesday 7th December 9am to 2pm at the Banqueting Suite, Leeds Civic Hall will launch the Leeds Involvement Strategy and the newly merged, new look Voluntary Action-Leeds. There will also be participative workshops on Active.  Speakers will include Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council Antonia Mochan Head of Networks at the European Commission Representation in London. 

Book a place at www.gettinginvolved.eventbrite.com  For more information contact Richard Whitmill at Voluntary Action-Leeds: 0113 297 7920, richard.whitmill@val.org.uk.

Tuesday 8^th November 2011

News – Localism Bill: MPs accept all Lords amendments.  The Localism Bill last night completed its passage through Parliament after MPs voted to accept all the amendments made by peers in the House of Lords.

News – Welfare reforms could force 600,000 off incapacity benefit.  The government’s tough new welfare reforms will force over half a million people off incapacity benefit and cause widespread poverty in some of Britain’s most disadvantaged communities, according to a study released on today.

Event – Leeds Summat aims to make the connection during ‘uncertain times’.  Over 1,000 people from across the north will descend on Leeds later this month to attend an event which organisers hope will help people rethink the world they live in.  The Leeds Summat Gathering will be held on 26 November at Leeds University Union and Notre Dame College, near Leeds city centre. You can book your place here.

Monday 7^th November 2011

News – £500m fund to unlock the potential for economic growth.  The £500 million Growing Places Fund will be available to help boost economic growth by getting the required infrastructure built to enable the creation of new jobs and homes by getting stalled projects moving again.  The Fund will put local businesses and organisations in the driving seat, with the 38 Local Enterprise Partnerships able to apply for the funding and then take decisions about what to prioritise locally.

News – New deal to help jobless under 25s.  Groundbreaking plans are being drawn up in Leeds that could force developers working on major new schemes to offer jobs to local young people.

News – Existing tools can be used instead of referendums. The government has confirmed that local authorities will be able use existing mechanisms such as development plan documents or local development orders to take forward neighbourhood planning proposals without the need for a referendum to be held.

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Tags: Construction, Employment, Housing, Leeds Arena, re'new, Young People