Issue - items at meetings - Decent Homes

Report of the Director of Adult Social Care and Housing (copy attached).

35.1    This item was introduced by Nick Hibberd, Assistant Director, Housing Management. Mr Hibberd and Jugal Sharma, Assistant Director, Housing Strategy, answered members’ questions.

35.2    Mr Hibberd told members that he was confident of reaching this year’s target for bringing homes up to a decent standard.

35.3    In answer to questions regarding the Local Delivery Vehicle (LDV), Mr Sharma told members that a board to manage and a company to host the LDV had been set up, negotiations with potential financers were at an advanced stage and negotiations with the Department of Communities and Local Government were continuing. The council has developed a ‘plan B’ should its original LDV scheme not receive Government approval, and is confident that this scheme can be implemented.

35.4    In response to a question as to whether the LDV was still required given the good progress in meeting the Decent Homes standard, Mr Hibberd told the committee that the LDV was part of the strategy for meeting the shortfall in investment required to bring all the housing stock up to Decent Homes standard, and was therefore still needed.