Update - 1 November 2023.
Thank you to everyone who took part in this survey. This consultation ended on 15 October 2023.
The survey was run on our behalf by the research agency, Social Engine, who hosted it on their own webpage (which the links below lead to). (We put information about the survey on Let’s talk Newcastle Online so that we could invite the 3,300 people who are registered members of this site to take part, and because it is our consultation portal where we list all our consultation and engagement work, so that people can see what we are consulting on, and what we have consulted people about in the past.)
Please note that because the survey was not run through Let’s talk Newcastle Online, the entry here shows ‘0 participants’, but we have received around 4,600 responses to the consultation. Social Engine are writing a report based upon these responses, which will be included in the papers which will go to the council's Cabinet meeting on 29th November 2023.
An update on what's happening with this from Mark Nicholson, the Chief Finance Officer at Newcastle City Council, can be seen below.
The survey was run on our behalf by the research agency, Social Engine, who hosted it on their own webpage (which the links below lead to). (We put information about the survey on Let’s talk Newcastle Online so that we could invite the 3,300 people who are registered members of this site to take part, and because it is our consultation portal where we list all our consultation and engagement work, so that people can see what we are consulting on, and what we have consulted people about in the past.)
Please note that because the survey was not run through Let’s talk Newcastle Online, the entry here shows ‘0 participants’, but we have received around 4,600 responses to the consultation. Social Engine are writing a report based upon these responses, which will be included in the papers which will go to the council's Cabinet meeting on 29th November 2023.
An update on what's happening with this from Mark Nicholson, the Chief Finance Officer at Newcastle City Council, can be seen below.
What we are proposing
The main change we are proposing is to bring Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) back into the council.
We set up YHN as an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) in 2004 to access government funding to improve homes. Around 70 ALMOs in the UK managed half of all council housing. Today the funding is no longer available and the number of ALMOs has declined to just 22.
Changing regulations, financial challenges in the social housing sector and increasing demand for council homes means we need to change how we deliver housing services to meet residents needs now and in the future.
We think we could deliver better housing services and save around £1 million a year if we bring them altogether. This would give us the chance to improve services and communication, provide better value for money and invest more in our homes and housing services.
On 24 July 2023 the Council's Cabinet agreed to carry out a consultation on the proposal to bring YHN into the council. You can read the cabinet report here: Cabinet Report.
You can find out even more about this here: Housing Review 2023
We set up YHN as an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) in 2004 to access government funding to improve homes. Around 70 ALMOs in the UK managed half of all council housing. Today the funding is no longer available and the number of ALMOs has declined to just 22.
Changing regulations, financial challenges in the social housing sector and increasing demand for council homes means we need to change how we deliver housing services to meet residents needs now and in the future.
We think we could deliver better housing services and save around £1 million a year if we bring them altogether. This would give us the chance to improve services and communication, provide better value for money and invest more in our homes and housing services.
On 24 July 2023 the Council's Cabinet agreed to carry out a consultation on the proposal to bring YHN into the council. You can read the cabinet report here: Cabinet Report.
You can find out even more about this here: Housing Review 2023
How to have your say
We really want you to help us shape the future of housing in our city. Your opinions are very important to us. You can let us know what you think by:
- completing a short online survey - see below for more information
- emailing your comments to: newcastlehousing@social-engine.co.uk. Please confirm in your email whether you are a council tenant or leaseholder or a Newcastle resident
- attending one of our drop-in sessions.
Online survey
If you're a council tenant or leaseholder, we'll be in touch soon to ask your opinion on the proposals. You will receive an individual link to use to complete the survey. We use your preferred method of communication to contact you. This could be an email, text or letter. You can use your personal link straight away.
If you live in the city but aren’t a tenant or leaseholder, you can have your say here:
If you live in the city but aren’t a tenant or leaseholder, you can have your say here:
Housing Review Residents Survey 2023
Please don't use this link if you are a council tenant or leaseholder.
It only takes about five minutes to complete the survey. Everyone who responds will have a chance to enter our prize draw to win shopping vouchers worth up to £200.
It only takes about five minutes to complete the survey. Everyone who responds will have a chance to enter our prize draw to win shopping vouchers worth up to £200.
Drop-in sessions
We are holding a series of public drop-in sessions across the city where you will be able to find out more about the proposals, ask questions and respond to the consultation as follows:
