New housing strategy boosted with £1.4 million in funding

A streamlined approach to improving housing conditions and tackling rogue landlords is being introduced across North Yorkshire after £1.4 million in funding has been secured from the Government.

North Yorkshire Council have been awarded the funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities through the Pathfinder Programme.

The funding will be used to improve housing conditions and increase enforcement activity by recruiting additional housing officers as well as building closer links with organisations involved in the sector.

Executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said. “This successful bid shows how the new council is focused on delivering a united housing service for all of North Yorkshire.

“Being able to recruit and train new and current staff is just one way in which this funding will support the housing service.

“Improving and increasing enforcement activity through inspections and joint working with partners will allow us to work together to ensure that residents in North Yorkshire are safe.”

North Yorkshire Council launched on Saturday (1 April), when North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough authorities merged.

In preparation for the new council, officers involved in housing services across the authorities worked together to secure the funding, which will allow the service to create a centralised approach to housing enforcement.

The approach will include developing a new enforcement policy, allowing the council to investigate and tackle housing issues more effectively.

Increasing the number of housing officers will allow the new authority to recruit and train up to nine new employees to work alongside the current staff.

It is also hoped that the new housing strategy will improve relationships and joint working with partners such as the National Residential Landlords Association. 

North Yorkshire Council is now overseeing all the services for the public, including housing, which were previously delivered by the eight authorities.

Access to support and council services will be easier, with one telephone number, one website, one customer service team, and one set of face-to-face customer access points for the new authority spread across the county in locations such as libraries.

The new council has been launched in the biggest shake-up of local government since 1974 to pave the way for a devolution deal.

Devolution is a key policy of the Government, handing over decision-making powers to local political leaders and providing millions of pounds in funding to shape major policies and projects on a regional level.

A proposed 30-year devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire, with an investment fund of £540 million, was unveiled on August 1 last year, and is due to lead to benefits ranging from new and better-paid jobs and improved skills and training to more affordable housing.

The recruitment process for the new posts for housing enforcement officers is now under way. The new recruits will be stationed across the county within the next couple of months to provide a co-ordinated approach to tackling housing issues.

North Yorkshire Council can be contacted via a central telephone number on 0300 131 2 131 and more information is available on the website.