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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Council residents get Asbo power | Council residents get Asbo power |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Council estate resident groups in England will be able to apply for anti-social behaviour orders, under measures announced by the government. | Council estate resident groups in England will be able to apply for anti-social behaviour orders, under measures announced by the government. |
| The tenant management organisations will be assessed before being allowed such powers, with "clear safeguards" to make sure they are not abused. | |
| Asbos ban people from continuing specific anti-social behaviour or from being in certain areas. | Asbos ban people from continuing specific anti-social behaviour or from being in certain areas. |
| Tony Blair said the powers would allow people to take "swift action". | Tony Blair said the powers would allow people to take "swift action". |
| Asbos are a key plank of the government's "respect" agenda, but separate reports from the Home Office and the National Audit Office in December found that between 47% and 55% have been breached in England and Wales. | Asbos are a key plank of the government's "respect" agenda, but separate reports from the Home Office and the National Audit Office in December found that between 47% and 55% have been breached in England and Wales. |
| Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly, appearing with the prime minister as the row continued over her decision to send her son to a private school, also announced £485 million would go to update about 55,000 run-down council housing this year. | Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly, appearing with the prime minister as the row continued over her decision to send her son to a private school, also announced £485 million would go to update about 55,000 run-down council housing this year. |
| No-one knows better how to transform a community than the people that live there Tony Blair | No-one knows better how to transform a community than the people that live there Tony Blair |
| She said the powers and funds were a step towards "making sure that the improvements we want to see are happening both inside and outside the home". | She said the powers and funds were a step towards "making sure that the improvements we want to see are happening both inside and outside the home". |
| The increased powers add to areas of responsibility that the management groups already have, such as rent collection, house allocations and lettings. | |
| "No-one knows better how to transform a community than the people that live there," Mr Blair said. | "No-one knows better how to transform a community than the people that live there," Mr Blair said. |
| "Local people are increasingly playing a bigger role in the decisions that affect them and the areas in which they live." | "Local people are increasingly playing a bigger role in the decisions that affect them and the areas in which they live." |
| Decent homes | Decent homes |
| The modernisation budget since 2002 rises to £3.7bn with the latest addition. | The modernisation budget since 2002 rises to £3.7bn with the latest addition. |
| It will be used by 17 local authorities to bring their housing up to standard under the government's Decent Homes programme. | It will be used by 17 local authorities to bring their housing up to standard under the government's Decent Homes programme. |
| The government said a million council homes had been improved since 1997, with 500,000 new kitchens, 350,000 new bathrooms and 630,000 new boilers installed. | The government said a million council homes had been improved since 1997, with 500,000 new kitchens, 350,000 new bathrooms and 630,000 new boilers installed. |
| "Poor housing can make areas unpopular to live in and create a bad reputation," Ms Kelly said. | "Poor housing can make areas unpopular to live in and create a bad reputation," Ms Kelly said. |
| 'Landmark' | |
| "The ongoing investment we are putting into decent homes together with the growing role for tenants in shaping their own environments is transforming not just individual homes but entire communities." | "The ongoing investment we are putting into decent homes together with the growing role for tenants in shaping their own environments is transforming not just individual homes but entire communities." |
| The National Federation of ALMOs (arms-length management organisations which have the same role as tenant management organisations) said it was a "major landmark" in allowing tenants to make decisions regarding their communities. | |
| "This announcement is indicative of the increasing importance the government is placing on tenant-led social housing models such as ALMOs, and how a broader, community focus is needed to improve the country's social housing estates," said federation chairman Dennis Rees. |