Annual Budget 2012 - pdf - Fingal County Council

AFFORDABLE HOMES
The housing market continues to be very challenging
with buyer uncertainty and banks reducing their
new mortgage activity. This is reflected in just 20
sales being closed this year and the Council having
to provide the mortgage loan in 2 of the sales. It is
an objective of the Housing Department to lease any
remaining unsold affordable properties to Voluntary
Housing Bodies, thereby making them available to
house those on our housing list.
RENTAL ACCOMMODATION SCHEME
This scheme will remain an important source of
social housing provision for the coming years.
There are now 672 RAS properties in the county.
The Council has reviewed rents with all landlords
as scheduled in their RAS contract and has achieved
average savings of 15%. This is resulting in a saving
of €2m over the remainder of the contracts that have
been reviewed.
VOLUNTARY HOUSING
The Council is working with a number of
Voluntary Bodies to provide and manage housing
accommodation. These include:
• Fold Housing Association – Phibblestown,
Dublin 15.
• Clanmill Ireland – Swords & Lusk.
• Focus Ireland – various addresses
countywide.
• Cluid Housing Association – refurbishment
projects Baldoyle/Howth.
• NABCo/Hail – Integrated Housing Project
– Parslickstown.
• Respond – Integrated Housing Project
– Mulhuddart.
• Circle Housing Association – Swords/
Balbriggan.
• Daughters of Charity – St Josephs,
Clonsilla, Dublin 15.
• TUATH Housing Association – Mayeston,
Dublin 11 & Malahide.
• Peter McVerry Trust – various addresses
countywide.
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HOUSING ADAPTATION GRANTS FOR
OLDER PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH A
DISABILITY
The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older
People and People with a Disability came into effect
on 1st November 2007. The schemes are subject to
means testing and the indexation of grant levels
based on income bands. A sum of €2.25m has been
provided for these Schemes in the 2012 Budget.
There are 281 applications on hand going forward
to 2012. The 2012 provision of €2.25m is subject
to €1.8m (80%) funding being made available from
the Department of the Environment, Community
and Local Government in 2012.
ACCOMMODATION OF TRAVELLING
PEOPLE
Fingal County Council continues to implement the
Traveller Accommodation Programme 2009 – 2013
which was adopted by the Council in January
2009.
A statutory review of the programme is currently
under way and will be completed by 31st December
2011.
In 2011, Fingal County Council submitted a
proposal for an integrated housing project,
comprising of 13 Group houses and 8 social houses
to the Department of the Environment, Community
and Local Government. Approval in principle for
the construction of the group housing scheme was
granted and the Council are at present examining a
build to lease model for the delivery of the additional
social housing units.
Progress has continued on the Traveller Interagency
Group accommodation objectives. This involves
working in a site specific way on two pilot sites
to develop a focussed interagency approach to
addressing issues arising on these sites e.g. there
was an open day at the Barnlodge halting site in July
of this year to which all agencies were invited.
SERVICE SUPPORT COSTS
All divisions include an apportionment of general
administration costs and overheads not directly
chargeable to a specific division. Such items are
grouped under the heading of Service Support Costs
and include office accommodation expenses, salaries
not directly chargeable to a particular division,
pensions, retirement, gratuities, computer services,
legal expenses, postage, telephone, printing,
stationery and advertising. These overheads have
been allocated to Divisions and Services on the
basis of national cost drivers.