Enfield pushes case for Decent Homes bid

This new reduced bid follows the Government's announcement that the money available to fund improvements to Council housing has been significantly reduced.

The money made available during 2010/11 for Decent Homes has been £34m, with £29m already spent on vital improvements to council housing and estates. The £34m is for this year's programme only, and is addition to the £15m in 2009/10 and £7.5m from our own resources in 2008/09.

Cllr Ahmet Oykener, Cabinet Member for Housing said "The Government has acknowledged that Enfield has the second highest percentage of non decency for Council housing, and this is why I am concerned that the reduction in funding means that we have not been able to bid for the money that we need. 

"In these difficult times £68.5m seems like a lot of money, but it is almost £20m less than we were originally going to receive. Now we will have to wait until February to find out what level of funding the Government is going to give us. What makes this situation worse is that the government has also confirmed that it will not fund investment for 10% of our non decent stock.

"The situation remains more uncertain as time passes. Firm funding commitments will be made for the first two years (2011-2013) but from 2013-2015 there will only be 'indicative commitments' to funding levels.

"I would urge the government to look at the situation that Enfield finds itself in, and to fund our bid in full, so that we may continue to bring our housing stock up to the standards our tenants rightly deserve.

"Our three MPs have united in their support of the bid and have written to Eric Pickles MP to express their support.

"I have also written directly to Grant Shapps MP, Housing Minister, to seek his support for Enfield's bid".