Big boost to council housing on course for success

Between December and May, the authority made an extra 57 homes available for rent, working towards that target.

That puts the total so far to 687, available either for rent or through shared ownership schemes, since the council set itself the target, in 2018.

The rest are expected to be built, or bought, with two years.

The move is the council’s response to the ‘right to buy’ scheme, introduced in the 1980s which gave council house tenants the legal right to purchase their homes, often with huge discounts.

Over the decades, that has seen stocks of council houses diminish – while demand for homes has remained high.

Councils are preferred as landlords by many renters, because they offer secure tenure to a property, fair rents and reliable maintenance.

Rotherham Council’s new properties have been acquired through a combination of buying in from private developers, building its own homes or on the open market.

There are 216 homes now under construction or in the process of being bought.

Most of the remaining homes required to deliver the 1,000 new council homes target have been identified, while a small number will be purchased from the open market, where the council already has a strong track record.

To boost numbers further, cabinet will be asked to approve a development to build 18 two and three-bedroomed homes in Denman Road, Wath, when they meet on July 7.

This site is one of three sites earmarked for council homes in the area – with a further ten homes planned in Bushfield Road and Valley Drive. All are subject to getting planning permission.

Cllr Linda Beresford, cabinet member for housing, said: “The council is committed to supporting our residents with their housing needs – and I’m delighted that we’re on track to fulfil our promise of delivery 1,000 additional homes for local people by summer 2027.

“However, with over 7,000 households currently on our housing register and the level of demand continuing to rise, it’s vital that we continue to work quickly to ensure more residents have a safe, secure place to call home.”