The South Glos Post

Fine wines and tasty cheeses are on offer to Merlin Housing Society residents who offer their suggestions on how the society can improve.

Merlin’s Community Investment Team is inviting residents to a special wine and cheese tasting event at the start of December. And while residents are sampling the tasty treats, staff will be asking them their views on Merlin’s services and what things they’d like the society to provide in the future.

The event is part of Merlin’s consultation with residents to produce its local offers for 2012.

Community Investment Manager Jen Griffiths said:

“We know that our residents have different priorities and want to tailor our services to meet those needs. Across the organisation we have been working to meet all of last year’s local offers that residents produced. Now we are working with residents to draw up next year’s offers.”

“We received lots of feedback from our residents’ fun day during the summer and are holding this event so that we hear the views of as many residents as possible.”

More: Contact Merlin now to reserve your place »

Source: Merlin Housing Society

A newly-elected councillor and former Army tank commander has called for Armed Forces personnel to be given priority when affordable homes are allocated.

Ben Stokes was elected in May onto South Gloucestershire Council as Conservative councillor for Boyd Valley. He previously served in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards of the British Army, who are currently on tour in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

Ben reached the rank of Captain and his Regiment’s tours of duty included Bosnia and Northern Ireland.

Few local authorities prioritise Armed Forces personnel when allocating affordable housing, but South Gloucestershire Council is planning a consultation on changes to its policy and Cllr Stokes wants it made easier for Armed Forces personnel to access housing by being given greater priority.

Cllr Stokes said:

“Having served alongside many of the courageous service men and women in the British Armed Forces, it’s a scandal that so many of them return home and struggle to access basic public services, like housing.”

“They shouldn’t have to fight our enemies abroad and put their lives on the line in the process only to return home and have to fight to get a roof over their heads.”

Council will look "sympathetically" at request »

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

SG Homes is a new social lettings agency run by South Gloucestershire Council offering a property management service which helps introduce landlords and tenants to each other.

The council-run agency has been set up in response to demand from landlords with empty properties which they would like us to manage on their behalf. We are also looking to attract more landlords to sign up to the scheme and help people with a housing need.

With more than 8,000 people in South Gloucestershire waiting for social housing, more and more tenants are looking to move in to private sector housing. SG Homes primarily focuses on finding accommodation for people who are homeless or those who face the threat of being made homeless.

Cllr Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing, said:

“SG Homes focuses on creating long-term, affordable and sustainable tenancies for families or single people, who would otherwise be homeless or have to move into emergency accommodation. This vital service provides support and advice for landlords and tenants to ensure the smooth set-up and running of a tenancy.”

If you have a property that might be suitable for letting to families or individuals in South Gloucestershire with a housing need then get in touch on 01454 865555.

Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Local Conservative councillors and Green Belt campaigners have criticised confirmation that a future Labour Government would reintroduce regional housing targets.

The Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) were a spectacular bureaucratic failure representing an affront to local democracy yet also proving ineffective in getting houses built – house building fell to the lowest level since 1924.

The South West RSS proposed 32,800 more houses for South Gloucestershire, including concreting over the Kingswood Green Belt and deleting entire communities like Shortwood, Siston and Warmley.

But the respected Planning magazine reports that Labour would reintroduce regional housing targets.

At a Royal Institute of British Architects fringe meeting at the Labour Conference the Shadow Planning Minister Jack Dromey MP said the Government’s decision to scrap the targets was “crazy”.

Mr Dromey said:

“You cannot sensibly address meeting our housing needs, infrastructure, transport and protecting our natural environment other than if you have a regional and sub-regional approach.”

“So there is no contradiction between a localist agenda that does believe in maximising local say through neighbourhood plans with saying that you’ve got to have that strategic approach, including the kind of imperatives that were inherent in the regional spatial strategy framework.”

Asked if this would include regional house building targets, Mr Dromey replied “yes”.

More: Labour hasn’t learnt from mistakes of the past »

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council