The West Lindsey District Council recently published a new draft local plan / housing strategy that the council will follow between 2026 and 2031. This is a significant improvement with regard to key criticisms. A prior year report found the city council’s housing services under fire. The council has come a long way since that early misstep. Specifically, they want to realize better conditions for the set of about 8,000 people that sit on their housing waiting list.
The council is resolute in its commitment to learning and delivering a higher standard of housing services. Each week, it puts new windows in 25 residences! This initiative is only one small piece of a larger strategy aimed at making the city a more desirable place to live for its residents. The council was recently criticized for its low inspection rate. In fact, reports found that homes were being responded to on average just over once every 97 years. The new draft plan outlines an ambitious goal to inspect properties every five years, ensuring that housing conditions are regularly monitored and addressed.
Labour councillor Andy Frampton, the cabinet member for housing, has been vocal about his worries with the old housing strategy. He has been loud in calling attention to its many shortcomings. He admitted the deepening crises the council was going through and promised to make everything right.
“We knew that we were in a bad place,” – Andy Frampton
At a recent housing scrutiny meeting, which marked the council’s first-ever gathering of its kind, officers reported on their progress regarding housing services. Frampton emphasized the urgency of addressing outstanding repairs:
“There are people in our city who have waited too long for those repairs, and I’m sure there are people who are still waiting – but we’ll get to them.” – Andy Frampton
The council has also doubled their inspection rates. They’ve saved nearly $10 million by decreasing the number of vacant properties returned to the City and closing more repairs on the first visit. These accomplishments are indicative of a change in the culture at the housing department. Maximizing service productivity to more effectively serve community needs is sometimes the intended goal.
The draft housing strategy takes a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to addressing urgent needs first. A more ambitious proposal, it would pave the way for dynamic new investments in housing services over a five-year period. The council’s commitment to regular inspections and timely repairs is a crucial step toward restoring public trust and ensuring that residents receive the quality housing they deserve.
