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Council’s plan to meet housing need at every stage of life A plan that sets out an ambitious blueprint for residents to find a home which meets their needs while continuing to build on partnership successes to support the borough’s most vulnerable residents and eradicate rough sleeping by 2024, has been approved. The strategy aims to create opportunities at every stage of life for all residents across Basingstoke and Deane, focusing on increasing housing choices available to the borough’s residents who have housing needs. It focusses on five priorities: preventing homelessness, eradicating rough sleeping by 2024, delivering housing choice and quality, tackling climate change and place
In the midst of a global coronavirus pandemic, the new strategy will guide
impact of Covid-19. Among the key findings was:
Residents Survey - the results are in West Berkshire Council undertook a survey of residents in late May to understand how communities are feeling about the impact of Covid-19 on their health, finances, on the environment and on the wider community. Almost 3,300 residents from across the district responded and the council has already used the preliminary data collected to inform its Recovery Strategy, which is being considered Questions ranged from the health and wellbeing, to the economic and social 8
• Awareness of the Community Support Hub was fairly high, at 72%. •
Almost all respondents who were able to work from home intend to continue to do so and even more in the future.
• Just under half (46.9%) of respondents expressed an intention to travel on foot more as a result of Covid-19. •
28.7% of those surveyed felt that the Covid-19 pandemic would enable them to make a positive impact on the district's aspirations towards carbon neutrality.
• 70.8% said they have volunteered during the pandemic and 78.2% of these intend to continue doing so.
the next Issue from
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the council’s next steps while allowing it and its partners the flexibility to respond to the changing needs and demand and COVID-19 related policy and guidance.
shaping. It was formed in consultation with housing and homelessness partners and with input from residents, councillors and organisations. The new plan builds on the successes of the previous housing and homelessness strategy which include delivering more affordable homes, implementing the Social Inclusion Partnership’s rough sleeping plan and significantly reducing the number of people sleeping on the borough’s streets year on year, minimising Bed and Breakfast use and embarking on a programme of initiatives to support greater access to low cost home ownership.
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Cabinet Member for Homes and Families Cllr Tristan Robinson said: “This new Housing and Homelessness Strategy paves the way to enabling residents to access the homes they need. “From families looking to access a home from the housing register, to rough sleepers in need of support to first-time buyers looking to step onto the property ladder, this new strategy has opportunity at its heart. It reflects what our residents have told us they want to see and will be an important part in ensuring those affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can access the support they need.” For more information please click here
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86.5% thought the council's response to Covid-19 was either excellent, good or fair. 8.8% declined to answer with 4.7% judging it to be poor.
• 31.9% reported a fall in household income. •
63.7% indicated they intended to visit local high streets either the same as before, more or much more when allowed to do so.
• 15.3% of respondents believe that someone in their household has been infected with Covid-19. • 18% of respondents reported high or very high anxiety levels the days before they completed the survey. This survey was the first of what will be a series of resident engagement exercises planned by the council as part of its Covid-19 recovery work. LOCAL BUZZ
