Issue - meetings

(A)         that the report into Affordable Housing produced by the Housing Quality Network be used to inform the identification of options for further enhancing the supply of affordable housing informed by local needs

(B)          that the Head of Housing and Health, acting in       consultation with the Executive Member for     Neighbourhoods, draws on the HQN report’s findings when revising the council’s Housing and Health Strategy     and Tenancy Strategy for consideration by Council in due           course in 2021/22

(C)          the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee’s           recommendations, presented in section 3, for enhancing           the council’s working arrangements with registered           providers be approved.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods submitted a report which explained that the Council had commissioned an important piece of independent research from Housing Quality Network (HQN) nearly a year ago, into the future provision of affordable housing.  Their final report had now been received and a presentation had been provided to Members in December 2020.  He said that this study would guide the Council’s efforts to bring forward a steady supply of affordable homes matched to local need.

The Executive Member said that the report summarised the findings and recommendations in the report and provided an outline on how the Council planned to use that valuable evidence in preparing various strategies and policy documents going forward.  This would also be helpful when reviewing the Council’s housing strategy this year and how Members would be consulted and involved in that journey.  The Executive Member concluded by saying the report also summarised the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish Group’s Recommendations on how we can better engage with registered providers.

Councillor Goldspink said that she welcomed the report and the report by the HNQ.  She was delighted to see the recommendations and also those following on from the Task and Finish Group and the relationship with housing associations.  Councillor Goldspink said she was fully supportive of the recommendations.

The Leader thanked Councillor Goldspink for her comments adding that the report was a good piece of work, thoroughly researched and that the outcome of the report and recommendations were “spot on”.

Councillor Boylan proposed and Councillor Goodeve seconded a motion to support the recommendations in the report.  On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the report into Affordable Housing produced by the Housing Quality Network be used to inform the identification of options for further enhancing the supply of affordable housing informed by local needs; and

(B)   that the Head of Housing and Health, acting in consultation with the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, draws on the HQN report’s findings when revising the council’s Housing and Health Strategy and Tenancy Strategy for consideration by Council in due course in 2021/22

(C) the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee’s recommendations, presented in section 3, for enhancing the Council’s working arrangements with registered providers be approved.