Housing Needs Survey

The Council have discussed the Framsden Housing Needs Survey Report 2013 extensively and reserve the right to reject the findings of the report for the following reasons: -

The survey itself fails to define the term “need” as used in the survey questions and discussions at Council meetings have shown a wide variety of opinions as to what this term might mean. The Council therefore feel that respondents answering the questions (particularly those expressing a view on whether they would support social housing) would have had a variety of different opinions of the meaning of “need”, thereby making the validity of the survey itself questionable.

The Council have been told that any affordable housing being constructed will be primarily for use by local people with need. However, parishioners should be aware that this may result in non-locals using social housing provided as a result of this local survey. The position appears to be that whilst local housing needs (if certain criteria are met) will get preference, if there are no qualifying local persons then availability will cascade outwards until the housing is fully utilised.

The survey response rate is considered low and thus the survey results could be considered unrepresentative of the parishioners' opinion. The latest survey results do not correspond well with the results from earlier questionnaires of local opinion.

FRAMSDEN HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY 2013

Executive Summary

The Parish Council agreed to carry out a second HNS with a closing date of 21 June 2013.

The Community Action Suffolk Services toolkit was used to produce the survey data.

From the HNS, 58.44% of respondents were in favour of an affordable housing scheme, showing overall support, with 31.11% of the returns indicating that they would not support affordable housing in the parish.

The Framsden HNS of 21 June 2013 received 44 household responses from a total of 150 of survey forms issued a 29.33% return rate, with the majority of respondents in favour of a small affordable housing scheme for people with a local connection.

Profile of survey respondents

• 44 Household Responses
• 102 Individuals
• Greatest number of responses received from those aged between 60-74 years of age
• 91 Multiple Choice responses received

Out of 44 HNS returned, 4 households responded that they have a current housing need, totalling 7 people.

Out of 44 HNS returned, 1 of those households responded identifying a need for 1 person (with a local connection) wishing to return to or live in the Parish.

This shows a total of 5 households, 8 people in need of affordable housing in Framsden.

The Gateway to Home Choice (GTHC) register indicates there are 4 households claiming a local connection to Framsden;

5 x 1/2 bed dwellings

Framsden Parish Council may want to consider those registered on the GTHC when deciding on the final number of homes they may wish to provide.

Need indicated from HNS

Current household;

4 future households identified from the HNS, with a total of 7 people in need. Although the make-up of the future households indicated from the HNS shows:

• Single people 1
• Single Parent Family (with or expecting children) 1
• Couple 1
• Two Parent Family (with or expecting children) 1
• Total 4

People wishing to return

1 future household identified from the HNS, with a total of 1 person in need.

• Single people 1
• Total 1