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Have a say on the way housing is allocated
West Oxfordshire District Council is inviting residents to have a say on how social housing is allocated to people.The Council has not held any housing stock since 2001, but is responsible for keeping the Districts Common Waiting List for housing.
Anyone who wishes to be considered for social housing whether rented or part-ownership must be on the Waiting List. Each applicant is awarded points and those with the most points, who are deemed to have greatest need, become eligible to be housed. The Council then nominates those people to housing associations for accommodation.
The Council has a Nominations Policy which sets out how points should be awarded. This includes guidance set by law which requires the Council to give priority to those in most need, such as anyone who is homeless or living in overcrowded conditions. In addition, it contains priorities which the Council has set for West Oxfordshire, including preference for people with a local connection to the district and key workers.
The Council is currently reviewing the Nominations Policy and would like to hear from residents about what they think of the current policy and changes they feel should be made.
Residents are asked to complete a short survey online at www.westoxon.gov.uk/allocations. The Nominations Policy can be viewed online via this link.
Cllr Jill Dunsmore, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: We are contacting people on the Waiting List to ask them for their views and would like to encourage as many others as possible to have a say. This will help with the review and could lead to important changes in the way social housing is allocated in the future.
Questions being asked include whether the current points system is a fair way to prioritise housing applications and whether more weight should be given to time spent on the Waiting List. At present, priority is not given according to the amount of time an applicant has been on the List.
Anyone unable to complete the online survey, or who wishes to make further suggestions, can email housing@westoxon.gov.uk or write to Housing Services, West Oxfordshire District Council, Elmfield, New Yatt Road, Witney, Oxon, OX28 1PB.
National recognition for Marriotts Walk project
West Oxfordshire District Council has gained a national Community Partnerships Award for the Marriotts Walk development in Witney.The award recognises how the council has worked in partnership with the local community, the developer (Simons group) and a number of other agencies on a regeneration project that has provided housing, jobs, shops, restaurants, a multi-storey car park and a five-screen cinema.
The awards adjudication panel said: Marriotts Walk is an impressive development with a lot of positive outcomes. It has brought together a lot of people and engaged a wide range of stakeholders.
Cllr Barry Norton, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council said, We are absolutely delighted to receive this award it is tremendous recognition for a scheme that has been many years in the making and has involved many people and organisations. It is an excellent example of how partnership working improves communities, but key to the success of Marriotts Walk is the contribution from West Oxfordshire residents who told us 5 years ago what they wanted to see on the Marriotts site- this helped shape the new development.
Community Partnership Awards are sponsored by the Local Government Chronicle and the Health Service Journal to recognise excellence in partnership working across health, social care and local government.
The award was presented at an event in London which brought together 500 key industry players from the public and private sectors. Emma Maier, Editor of the Local Government Chronicle said, "I would like to congratulate all of our finalists. Each of you has performed to an outstanding level, innovating and going the extra mile to achieve real benefits to your communities. In doing so you have impressed our expert judges and they have singled you out as deserving of special recognition.
Work on the Marriotts development has led to the formation of the Witney Town Centre Forum, a partnership of retailers, service providers and local councils. Forum Members have worked to ensure that the Marriotts Walk development is fully integrated into the town centre and that the whole town benefits from the increased footfall it generates. The Forum has spearheaded improvements with environmental and marketing initiatives. For example there are now more litter bins through business sponsorship as well as improved street furniture and signage. To coincide with the opening of Marriotts the Forum produced large town maps, town guides and a new website.
Although West Oxfordshire has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, unemployment figures have risen over the past year and so the creation of around 300 new jobs for Marriotts Walk, during a recessionary period has been welcome news, helping to keep the local economy buoyant.
Planning for the future consultation
From 5 February West Oxfordshire District Council is seeking comments on a major planning strategy showing how the District could develop over the next 15 years.The consultation document is called the Core Strategy Preferred Approach and this identifies the broad locations for new homes, jobs and infrastructure such as roads and schools. Sites for larger-scale development being consulted upon are in Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton.
The Core Strategy Preferred Approach looks at how the housing targets set by the Government for 2006-2026 will be met in West Oxfordshire. Some 4,100 homes are already built/planned which leaves locations for at least another 3,200 homes to be identified.
In Witney at least another 1,500 new homes are proposed of which 1,000 will be in the Downs Road area to the west of the town, along with new schools, open space, community and leisure facilities and a large area for new businesses. Land to the north of Witney is under review as a possible location for longer term housing development or as a reserve site if land in the Downs Road area does not come forward as anticipated. Land south of Welch Way has potential for longer term expansion of the town centre.
In Carterton we support the Town Council in seeking further growth of the town and are inviting comments on the options for further expansion land to either the east or west is preferred for a development of about 1,000 homes. Improvements are proposed to local facilities with new shops in the town centre.
In Chipping Norton at least another 400 homes are proposed of which about 200 will be on land in the London Road area, together with new businesses, health care and education facilities. Additional town centre shopping and community facilities are earmarked for land between the High Street and Albion Street.
Small scale development to meet local housing and employment needs will also take place in other towns and some villages but sites are not identified at this stage.
Cllr Warwick Robinson, Cabinet Member for Planning said, The Government not only sets the target number of new homes needed for West Oxfordshire but also approves the final plan. We want to make sure that anyone who wishes is able to make comment through this consultation. There are some difficult decisions to be made and we need to know that all the possible options for the future have been fully investigated before we finalise our Plan ready for submission to Government later this year.
Public consultation will take place over the next few weeks up to Monday 22 March. Exhibitions are being arranged in Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton further details will be announced. The Council prefers to receive responses online via http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/planning/CoreStrategy.cfm although relevant documents will be available for inspection at:
Elmfield Office and Town Centre Shop, Witney
The Guildhall, Chipping Norton
Public libraries in the district
Further information about the consultation and the new Planning for the future (LDF) process will be on http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/planning/CoreStrategy.cfm from the beginning of February. Alternatively, for further details, contact the Councils Planning Policy team on 01993 861420. All Parish/Town Councils and many local organisations will be separately consulted.