News

 

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has announced plans to speed over £4million in the Dungannon District in 2012/13 at a time when the number of people living in "housing stress" here has risen.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council on Wednesday last (June 20), Lorraine Campbell, South Area Manager, recapped the Housing Executive's spend for the area in 2011/12.

She said: "Last year the Housing Executive homes in the Dungannon District; Invested £767,000 to assist vulnerable people through the Supporting People programme.

Provide £0.96 million for grant to improve housing conditions in the private sector; Invested £164,000 on adapting Housing Executive homes in the District having commenced adaptations to 27 tenants' homes;

Provided 2010 private sector tenants with Housing Benefit assistance, an increase of 49 per cent from 2008; Worked with community groups and other sectors to encourage safer, settled and inclusive communities in the Dungannon District"

Setting out the Housing Executive's agenda in the Dungannon District for the 2012/13 year when the investment will be £4,006 million, she outlined the current housing situation in the area.

She stated: "The housing waiting list for Dungannon District has increased, from 563 applicants in housing stress in December 2010 to 593 in April 2012. Single person households continue to dominate the waiting list.

"During 2011/12 we allocated 176 Housing Executive homes to waiting list applications compared to 247 allocations in the 12 months to December 2010."

"In the past year a total of 25 new homes were completed in five schemes in Dungannon and Coalisland.

"At the end of March 2012, there were 114 homes on site in seven schemes in Dungannon, Aughnacloy, Granville and Moy. "The draft Social Housing Development Programme for 2012 - 2015 proposed 10 new schemes; 96 units of General need housing in Dungannon, Moygashel, Coalisland, Clogher and Killyman, 13 units for supported housing in Dungannon and 6 units of traveller accommodations in Coalisland.

"In Dungannon District the number of people accepted as homeless, decreased from 322 in 2010/2011 to 27 in 2011/2012. The Housing Executive will continue to work hard to provide services to support those faced with homelessness Strategy 2012-2017 will aim to eliminate long term homelessness and rough sleeping across Northern Ireland by 2020" This year the Housing Executive will invest £0.18m to help the most vulnerable people in Dungannon District to continue to live independently. This is especially important for older people and people with disabilities. Existing funding delivers 13 supported housing accommodation based schemes as well as the floating support scheme in the District.

"Despite pressures on our funding the Housing Executive will continue to provide its day-to-day maintenance service. Housing Executive tenants in Dungannon District will see this service protected in line with their conditions, of tenancy. This year's work programme, includes External Maintenance to 450 homes, window replacement to 169 homes and the installation of fire doors to 33 properties.

"In Dungannon District in the year to March 2012, 396 private sector homes were insulated, three had heating installed, and a further 18 had both insulation and heating installed through the Warm Home Scheme." 'We have allocated £893k for private sector grants for the Dungannon District this year.

"The Housing Community Network, local community and residents groups are doing valuable work reviewing and improving housing services for local people. Members of staff are working diligently with residents and other agencies to promote and encourage safer, settled and inclusive housing areas within Dungannon District.

The BRIC Programme and Shared Communities Programme will be important drivers for this work." "Our Dungannon District Office, under the management of Denise McNally, continues to provide dedicated housing services to the Dungannon District. District Office staff are ably assisted by the Customer Services Unit, Accounts and Housing Benefit Units."

Ms Campbell concluded: "I would like to extend my thanks to the Councillors and Officers of Dungannon District Council for their support over the past year. The District Manager, District Office staff and I look forward to continuing to work with the Council on issues of mutual interest in the coming year."

Source: Tyrone Courier
Date: Wednesday 27th June 2012