7. Meeting our priorities
Although the bulk of this strategy and the priorities that are set out within it are focused on the Housing Service, successful implementation of this strategy will require the support and commitment of wider council teams and external partners.
In relation to housing standards and energy efficiency, as a social landlord we can drive up the standard of our own housing stock. However it will require Housing Associations and Private sector landlords to also take their own steps to improve their properties. Some already are, and it will be through working in partnership with these groups, sharing good practice from other social landlords, and providing support and guidance to private sector landlords that we will have the greatest success. Proactive action, engaging with existing forums, inviting discussions and creating new groups will all contribute to this goal.
Our Private Sector Housing team is located within Environmental Health rather than the Housing Service which can present challenges. However, if there is a positive to be taken from the pandemic restrictions, it has been to prove that physical separation between teams does not have to be a barrier to joint working.
Over and above local conditions, there are national restrictions that can negatively affect us at district level. The policy of Right to Buy has for a long time impacted on our ability to maintain our housing stock levels, and without change this will only get worse, particularly as we seek to “level up” our housing stock to become carbon neutral by 2040.