Agenda item

Future Work Programme - Rapid Review of Housing Affordability

Minutes:

The Head of Housing and Health reported that he had discussed the matter of the proposed Rapid Review of Affordable Housing with a number of Members from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. He assured Members that Officers understood the importance that Members place upon the provision of social housing with lower rents.

 

The Head of Housing and Health went on to point out that the provision of more housing with social rents is the first objective under the first priority in the draft Housing Strategy to be put to Council on 11 May 2022. Furthermore, the Strategy itself had drawn on independent research commissioned by the council and conducted by the Housing Quality Network. The research put forward the scope of the council to facilitate more homes for social rent. The Head of Housing and Health noted that a number of Members of the Overview and Scrutiny had input to this research and the drafting of the Housing Strategy and so have been instrumental in shaping the council’s work on affordable housing to date.

 

The Head of Housing and Health commented that when the proposal of a Rapid Review was initially raised by Members they were expecting the Housing Strategy to be considered at the Council meeting on 1 March 2022, however, as it has now be moved to the 11 May 2022, commencing a review might be premature and he and other Officers were keen to ensure the best use of Members, Officers and partners’ time on this topic.

 

The Head of Housing and Health explained that, pending approval of the Housing Strategy by Council, Officers will draw up a detailed action plan covering how best to increase the supply of homes for social rent which would have been the focus of the proposed Rapid Review. He suggested that in place of conducted a Rapid Review, a report could be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in September which would afford Members an opportunity to scrutinise the action plan in as much detail as Members would like.

 

Councillor Goldspink expressed her disappointment at what she felt was a delay in addressing the issue of more providing more homes for social rent as she was concerned about the difficulties experienced by people on the housing register. She asked why the Housing Strategy had been delayed in submission to Council in May and to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in September.

 

The Head of Housing and Health replied that he understood this was to ensure that the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods could be present to introduce the strategy and address any questions Members wished to raise.

 

Councillor Curtis said that one of the objectives of the Council was to maximise the opportunity for residents to own their own property. He talked about the remit of the action plan and sought assurance that all options would be considered. The Head of Housing and Health said that the draft Housing Strategy contained a number of objectives and each objective would include an action plan. The Strategy included enabling access to a wider range of housing tenures.

 

Councillor Snowdon proposed and Councillor R Buckmaster seconded, a motion that a report presenting the action plan for promoting more housing for social rent be submitted to the 20 September 2022 meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, following the submission of the Housing Strategy to Council in May 2022.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED. Councillor Goldspink asked that her abstention from voting be recorded.

 

RESOLVED – that a report presenting the action plan for promoting more housing for social rent be submitted to the 20 September 2022 meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, following the submission of the Housing Strategy to Council in May 2022.