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1240/5(6060)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING BY DEPUTY J.A. MARTIN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st MARCH 2011
Question
"Would the Minister advise the Assembly where the money was found to undertake repairs to Pomme d'Or Farm?
Were the funds diverted from the monies set aside within the last 4 Business Plans to refurbish La Collette Flats (works which tenants were told would start this year and have again been delayed) and, if so, when will La Collette flats now be refurbished?"
Answer
The funding to undertake the planned refurbishment at Pomme D'Or Farm has come in part from the sale of assets approved under P.6/2007 and in part from a capital allocation from the Treasury. The funds have not been diverted from monies set aside to undertake the refurbishment of La Collette Flats.
The refurbishment programme set out in the 2011 States Business Plan indicates that a number of projects would be undertaken in 2011 including, Pomme D'Or Farm, La Collette Flats Phase 1 (High Rise) and Jardin des Carreaux. The business plan identifies that funding for these schemes will come from asset sales as well as from the capital programme and from Fiscal Stimulus.
Late in 2010 my predecessor was approached by the Assistant Minister Planning & Environment in respect of a strategic review which his Department wanted to undertake of a number of sites in the Havre des Pas area, one of which was La Collette Flats. It was agreed that consideration would need to be given to the outcome of that review before any significant works were committed to.
The economic climate has restricted asset sales and the comprehensive spending review has led to a reallocation of capital funding. These factors have required that the order of proposed property refurbishments be reprioritised for 2010, 2011 and 2012 with projects only advancing as and when sufficient funds accrue.
Taking into account the funding constraints and the outcome of P&E's Havre des Pas review the priority order for projects for 2011 is Clos Gosset, Pomme D'Or Farm, Jardin des Carreaux and La Collette Flats Phase 1.
What will be clear to all members is that the current method of funding such projects from asset sales cannot provide any certainty about the timing of refurbishment projects, is not sustainable and is not in my opinion at all appropriate.
Finding a long term mechanism for financing the Department and the long term maintenance and improvement of the stock is a key driver behind the Housing Transformation Programme, the output from which will be presented in a White Paper in June this year.