Housing strategy and policy
Housing Condition Survey
Cotswold District Council is surveying housing conditions across the district visiting all types of properties including those in private ownership, privately rented, and rented from a housing association.
The survey will help us to make positive decisions such as where to allocate funding, what types of help people might need in the future and help to strengthen any bids we make to Government for funding.
Properties across the district have been randomly selected and sent letters to inform them of this selection. The surveyor will view the front and back of the selected properties and the rooms inside with no disruption to the home. They will also ask some general details about the household members. All information is confidential and will not identify individual persons, property or family details.
The survey is being carried out for the Council by David Adamson & Partners Limited. Surveyors will always carry a photo and identity card. If your property has been selected please ask to see the surveyor’s identity card before allowing them into your home.
The surveyors may call anytime between 9am and 8pm Monday to Friday and between 10am to 6pm on a Saturday. If the property is empty at the time they call, they will simply visit another selected property. Alternatively, arrangements can be made for a surveyor to call at a specific time to suit the property occupier.
For further information, or to make an appointment if your property has been selected please telephone Freephone 0800 056 1051 to leave a message or call back request, or email directly to the survey office on jab@davidadamsongroup.com.
Participation is entirely voluntary but assistance is greatly appreciated.
FAQs
Why is this survey happening in Cotswold District?
Local authorities, typically every five to ten years, carry out such surveys in order to enable them to get a better understanding of the condition of the housing in their area. Councils have a legal duty to periodically carry out this review to help inform us to make positive decisions such as where to allocate resources and what types of help people might need in the future.
How was I chosen and do I have to take part?
Purely by chance. A computer generates random numbers to pick several thousand addresses from a list of all addresses in the District. You do not have to take part but we would appreciate your assistance which will help us build up a picture of housing conditions.
How does this help give a true picture of housing conditions?
By surveying a random sample of dwellings (houses, flats or bedsits) the condition of all other dwellings in the area can be predicted. This helps direct resources.
How will this help get funds for Cotswold District Council to support its residents?
When the Council bids for future funding from Government, having up to date information on housing conditions will make it more likely that we will be successful.
Will I get any help by taking part?
By helping us build up an overall picture you could assist the Council in any future bids to Government, which may help to prevent areas declining.
The condition of my house is fine, why do you need to inspect it?
To ensure the survey captures an accurate picture of housing in the District, we would like every household selected to participate. Each property that is missed makes the survey less reliable.
What does the survey involve?
The surveyors are usually in your home for no more than twenty minutes, sometimes less for smaller properties. You can help by answering all of the questions asked by the surveyor. Surveyors will follow safety protocols and will discuss these with you prior to entering your home. These include your wishes concerning the use of facemasks and disposable gloves, social distancing from you and your family, and minimum contact with internal surfaces.
Why use an external firm to assist with the survey?
David Adamson & Partners Ltd. are specialists in this kind of survey work and operate nationally using surveyors from all parts of the country.
How can I be sure that the surveyor is who they say they are?
The surveyors all carry an identity card with their photograph on, which they will show to you on their arrival. You can also contact the survey office on Freephone 0800 056 1051 or email jab@davidadamsongroup.com.
Will taking part in the survey affect my Council Tax payment?
No, the survey has no connection to Council Tax, so taking part will not change your property banding.
Housing Plan
We are responsible for working with other agencies to meet the need for affordable accommodation in the district.
The current Housing Plan sets out our plans for housing in the Cotswold district from 2016 until 2020 and links government policy on housing with the local approach to addressing housing-related issues in the Cotswold district. The Housing plan includes the following:
- the housing plan
- homelessness strategy
- strategic tenancy policy
- policy on discharging statutory homelessness into the private sector
We support individuals and families to stay in the area by enabling affordable housing, and the 2016 to 2020 plan identified six priorities for the housing agenda in the district until 2020. These are:
- Priority one: Understanding the Cotswold Housing Market Area
- Priority two: Increasing the supply and access to housing across all tenures
- Priority three: Developing thriving, sustainable communities
- Priority four: Provide housing and support services for our most vulnerable residents
- Priority five: Making best use of the existing housing stock
- Priority six: Prevent and respond to homelessness
Housing Plan 2016 2020 - pdf - 469 Kb
Housing Needs assessment
The housing needs assessment 2009 provides assessed housing need and housing support requirements, across all tenures and client groups. This study will help underpin along with other evidence the development of our affordable housing policies in the district and will help inform strategies on the level and type of affordable housing provision to meet needs in the coming years.
The Gloucestershire housing needs report provides and overview of the results for the whole county, while the Cotswold district report provides detailed information on the local housing need across the district.
Gypsy and traveller accommodation assessment
The 2004 Housing Act requires local authorities to assess the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers, and Showpeople and to make adequate provision for them through the planning process.
The assessment is available under the Local Plan evidence documents in the housing for local needs section.
Strategic housing market assessment 2014
This assessment helps us to understand the nature and level of housing demand and need within the joint market area and provides information and guidance for a variety of housing and planning policies.
The assessment provides the following information.
- estimates of current dwellings in terms of size, type, condition and tenure
- analysis of past and current housing market trends, and key issues affecting the housing market
- estimate of current number of households in housing need
- estimate of future households requiring market and affordable housing
- estimate of the sizes of housing required
- estimate of households groups who have particular household requirements
The Gloucestershire Strategic Housing Market Assessment is available to download from the Gloucestershire County Council website.
Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document
The affordable housing supplementary planning document (SPD) was adopted by the Council on 27 February 2007.
Long term empty homes policy
The policy aims to identify the causes of empty properties, why they remain empty and a clear action plan showing how we intend to reduce this number.