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Council backs
self build housing drive
LIVERPOOL City Council are
now calling on local organisations to take advantage of a new
Government initiative and help build a better future for housing in
the city.
The council is updating its housing strategy for 2012 to 2015 to
take account of the national Self-Build scheme. The council is
supporting the scheme, which was launched by Housing Minister Grant
Shapps last November, and which aims to encourage more individuals
and community groups to build their own homes.
A £30 million pot of cash has been made available for organisations;
including community groups, registered charities,
community land trusts and companies which are registered as
industrial and provident societies; who are able to satisfy the
Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) that they are able to deliver
their self-build projects.
Local authorities are not eligible to apply for funding; but can
work with eligible applicants to support their projects, and
Liverpool City Council is keen to hear from local organisations who
are interested in working with the council on self-build schemes.
The city council is also exploring the possibility of freeing up a
number of council sites which can be used by local organisations for
home building. Further details on the sites will be announced in the
near future.
Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Ann
O'Byrne, said:- "We want to do all we can to stimulate the
growth of our housing market and encourage self-sufficiency.
Supporting local organisations with self-build projects is a part of
that. This funding provides a great opportunity for small builders,
developers, charitable organisations and community groups in
Liverpool to get their projects off the ground. Such projects have
an important part to play, sitting alongside the other major
projects within our housing delivery programme. We don't want local
people to miss out on this opportunity, which is why we will be
building support for self-build schemes into our housing strategy,
freeing up council sites for organisations to build their own homes,
and supporting groups who want to bid for funding."
The national scheme; the first of its kind in the UK; aims to double
the size of the self-build sector by making land available,
encouraging lenders to offer more finance products for those
building their own home and simplifying regulations. The Government
hopes it will help self-builders develop a quarter of a million
additional homes over the next decade.
The £30million funding will offer tailor-made support for self-build
groups, providing short-term loans for self-build projects and
helping fund land acquisition, planning and early development costs,
with money repaid on completion of projects.
In July 2012 the government announced the initial seven sites; in
Bolsover, Bristol, Cornwall, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Stoke
On Trent and Surrey; which will become designated self-build
communities, with public sector land freed up for house building.
The city council hopes local organisations and individuals will also
be able to benefit from the scheme which is open until 31 March
2015, but may close earlier if the entire budget is allocated.
Funding will be for projects with at least 5 homes. The HCA is
applying a cap of £3 million for any single project. Loan funding
for approved projects is capped at 75% of their costs, meaning
applicants must have access to a minimum of 25% of the funding for
their project.
Liverpool City Council's plans to support self-build aim to further
strengthen the city's 4 year housing strategy, which also includes
the delivery of 5,000 new homes; bringing empty property across the
city back into use; a new mortgage scheme to help first-time buyers;
releasing council-owned brownfield sites at no cost, and making a
£20 million housing fund available.
Organisations interested in working with the city council on the
Government's Self-Build initiative should contact Karen Locke,
Housing Strategy and Policy Officer on:- 0151 233 8234, or email:-
karen.locke@liverpool.gov.uk.
Going for gold – in drag??!!
WHILE the world's top
athletes are about to compete in the Olympics another special
sporting event is taking place; the Stanley Street Quarter Sports
Day. 5-A-side football, tug-of-war, zumba and basketball; all
feature in Liverpool's gay quarter's sporting spectacular, on
Saturday, 28 July 2012.
But the highlight of the day is bound to be the Drag Race, open to
all men prepared to don a dress and race twice around the Stanley
Street Quarter. Paul Amann, local Olympic Leader said:- "The
competition is for the drag race gold medal is going to be fierce.
The runners may not be as fast as Usain Bolt, but then again, he is
not running in stilettos. But while there is a fun element to the
drag race it is helping the most worthy of causes as money raised by
the sponsorship and registration fees will go to Claire House
children's hospice. There is still time to enter; so get out your
dress and show the Olympic selectors that they were wrong to leave
you out of the team!"
The sports day is one of a series of special days promoting the
Stanly Street Quarter as one of the most vibrant in the city.
The drag race starts at 12 noon
and more information or to sign up,
email Dan Thomas or call on:- (0151) 343 0883.
Other events take place at the following times:-
► Tug of War from 12:45pm
► Zumba from 1:30 to 3pm
► Football (5-a-side) from 3 to 4pm
► Basketball from 4 to 5pm. |
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UGANDAN YOUNGSTERS START
THE SCHOOL DAY WITH NEW UNIFORM THANKS TO BIRKENHEAD STORE
BIG hearted shop owners
from Birkenhead have sent new school uniforms worth thousands of
pounds to needy youngsters in Uganda. Glenys and Peter
Wibberley own and run the Wirral Uniform Centre in The Grange and
Pyramids Shopping Centre and have come up with a worthwhile way of
saving unwanted, branded school uniform from being consigned to the
scrap heap.
When a school which they supply changes its logo or style of
uniform, the clothing which has the old branding becomes next to
useless but not to children out in Africa who often consider
themselves very fortunate to be in school at all.
Dustbin bags full of clothes have been travelling
from the store to the African country via Teams4U; a Wrexham based
charity which aims to make a difference in the lives of children
around the world who find themselves in desperate and difficult
situations.
Glenys, from Bebington, said:- "Our neighbour, John Harrison,
is a trustee of the charity and I used to go round with shoeboxes
for their Christmas shoebox appeal. We had tried in the past to
donate the unwanted uniform to charity shops in the UK and while
they were grateful, the problem was that the clothes didn't sell
because they had the logos of different schools and people just
didn't buy them. So I asked John whether he would like them for
Teams4U and he thought it was a great idea. It is such a relief to
have somewhere to take them where you know they are going to be
useful. Neither Peter, nor I, could face the thought of just
throwing them away. It is brand new clothing and such a complete
waste. We have to carry large amounts of stock in order to satisfy
all of our customers so it is inevitable that some will be surplus
but in our minds, slinging them in the bin is just not an option."
Derek Millar, Commercial Director for The Grange and Pyramids
Shopping Centre, said:- "Glenys and Peter run a terrific
business and are a very unique store to have in Birkenhead. It is
great to learn their surplus stock is sent to young people overseas
who need it and I think it is indicative of the very thoughtful and
efficient way in which they run their business."
The latest consignment of 15 bags, worth around £3,000 to the
business, will shortly be on its way overseas.
It mainly contains PE kit from St Mary's Catholic College in
Wallasey Village, some of which has already reached the African
country in previous trips.
On finding out what happens to their unwanted uniform, students at
the school have been learning more about the charity and its work
having already supported its shoebox appeal for the last 10 years.
Tony Boyle, headteacher, said:- "Part of our mission statement
is to encourage our students to grow as confident, global citizens.
Understanding more about where and who the St Mary's uniform has
reached is an important learning exercise for our young people. It
was wonderful to see the photos of youngsters in Uganda wearing our
uniform and helped bring it home that we should be very grateful for
what we have when others have so little."
 Ben
Serridge, 12, a year 7 St Mary's pupil from Moreton, said:- "I
think it is a really good idea to send our uniform to young people
in Uganda because they don't have as much as us and it is nice to
see them wearing new clothes with our school logo on. When I saw the
photos I thought it would be nice to meet those children one day and
I wondered if they thought about the school where the uniform came
from. It has given us the chance to learn more about Africa too
which I have found very interesting."
The Wirral Uniform Centre, which has been based in The Grange and
Pyramids Centre for four years but has been in the town for close to
25, is gearing up for its busiest period.
Alongside school uniform, the store also sells workwear, scout and
brownie uniform and embroiders badges or prints photos, pictures or
logos onto plain uniform and clothing.
Very grateful for their support is Dave Cooke, founder of Teams4U,
formerly of Operation Christmas Child, who said:- "What might
seem like simple things to us can be very significant to the
children we help all round the world. New, good quality clothing
will be virtually non-existent to these young people in Uganda and
that is why the support from Glenys, Peter and the students from St
Mary's is so happily received. Their generous donations really do
make a difference to these children's lives." |
