Evidence shows Council failing to provide sufficient affordable housing

Many of you will recall your school reports from days gone by. No doubt many of you can recall the phrase, could do better, associated with them. Well this is an apt phrase to use for Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s record for new build affordable home completions, when compared to the three other districts which surround us in Kent.

At last night’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Andy Blaszkowicz Council Director responsible for Housing and Operations, announced the Council are very close to the sale of Biggins Wood. The purchaser of the site is an incoming Housing Association. Of the 77 homes to be provided on the site, all of them will be “affordable“. With a split of 40 shared ownership and 37 affordable rent.

At the same meeting, Andy also mentioned the 44  affordable homes purchased on the Taylor Wimpey Shorncliffe site by the Council and another nine affordable at Arras Close, Folkestone to be added to the affordable housing stock owned by the Council next year.

When one looks at the New Build Affordable Home completions data by comparing our district with the three districts which surround us in Kent, it becomes clear we are the worst performing council for affordable completions, according to the data for 2018/19 – 2023/24, which conclusively shows we are not doing well at all. 

One can see Canterbury, who have the second lowest number of completions, completed slightly more than four times the number of affordable homes than Folkestone & Hythe. And Ashford completed more than eight times as many affordable homes as Folkestone & Hythe.

It’s always good news to know our Council are providing another 130 affordable homes; which means less people on the waiting list, less strain on the temporary housing budget, and more revenue for the Council through Council Tax. However, even when these additions are completed, we will still be providing less completed affordable homes than the other districts.

Yes the Council have done well to get the deals over the line for more affordable housing in the district. However, there is no doubt in our mind, the Council can, could and must do better, as people are being ‘priced out’ as costs of renting in Kent rockets.

The Shepway Vox Team

The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness