Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods presented the recommendation which was referred to the Executive report 22 November 2022.

Councillor P Boylan proposed that the recommendation in the report be supported.

Councillor N Symonds seconded the proposal.

Councillor Goldspink said that the Liberal Democrat Group was happy to support the recommendation but that it was sad to see that there was still so much need for affordable housing in the district.  She hoped that the Council would try to provide more affordable homes. 

Councillor Curtis welcomed the assessment on the update. He said that he was disappointed that under 20% of the total number of affordable homes were homes for people to own not rent. He felt that the Council should be doing more to encourage home ownership rather for people to rent. It was for that reason he would be voting against the recommendation.

Councillor Crystall asked if the Assessment referred to in the report could be made available to Members.

The motion to support the recommendation, having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Update 2022 be supported to form part of the evidence base to inform Development Management decisions and support the East Herts District Plan 2018 and any future reviews and revisions to it.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods presented the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Update report. He said that the update was important in light of the Council’s new Housing Strategy and its drive to increase affordable housing delivery. He said that the District Plan 2018 required housing developers to provide an appropriate mix of housing types and tenures.

Councillor Boylan said that the report would assist Officers with their efforts to negotiate the most suitable affordable housing mix in the towns and rural areas. He was pleased that the first new affordable homes in a rural area for some time had recently been completed in Braughing. He said that having a robust evidence base meant that there was less room for developers to argue that the Council’s Housing Strategy was unreasonable.

Councillor Buckmaster said it was useful to be provided with the figures by area. He said that East Herts compared fairly well to other authorities in delivering affordable housing despite viability issues from developers.

Councillor Boylan proposed, and Councillor Buckmaster seconded a motion supporting the recommendation in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – To recommend to Council that the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Update 2022 be endorsed to form part of the evidence base to inform Development Management decisions and support the East Herts District Plan 2018 and any future reviews and revisions to it.