Issue - items at meetings - Housing and New Homes Strategic Delivery Targets - 2019-2023

1)    That committee agrees the contents and timings of the work plan.

2)    That committee agrees to receive a progress report on alternate meetings.

3)    That the work plan and joint programme be referred to Area Panels for comment.

1)    The Committee considered the report presented by Larissa Reed to seek agreement for the priorities and work plan for the Housing Committee and service for the next four years in order to inform future reporting to Committee on key areas of officer focus and delivery, budget strategy, asset review, investment plans and resource allocation, resident engagement and formal consultation, engagement and consultation with partners and key stakeholders.

2)    Councillor Mary Mears commented that the Conservative Group had been excluded and felt that this was a coalition report. The Councillor made the following points: affordable housing would be around 1,000 under the joint venture; photovoltaic panels need to be rolled out across housing stock; the fire authority need to have input into improving council housing; approve of arrears policy; financial report to be submitted to January 2020 Committee to understand how additional affordable homes will be achieved; what were the set up costs for field licensing officers.

3)    Councillor Peter Atkinson was pleased to see references to: key workers under ‘Enabling more affordable home ownership’; modern methods of construction under ‘Providing additional affordable homes’; ‘Alleviating poverty’.

4)    Councillor John Allcock noted that under the joint venture the administration was working closely with the Green Party and this had been considered constructive. The reduction of carbon comments was welcomed. It was noted that having a clear sense of direction for housing supply was very important.

5)    Councillor David Gibson noted that the Labour and Green parties were closely aligned on housing and working together would will achieve more. The Councillor made the following comments: Under the combined manifesto pledges it was good to see 1,500 new homes; striving to achieve the end of homelessness was a good thing; reducing carbon emissions by 2030 was a huge challenge; the increased spending on photovoltaic panels was going ahead; tenant involvement via area panels needs to take place to monitor pledges; pleased to see 346 homes already granted planning permission, making the challenging 1,500 more achievable.

Resolved: That the Housing Committee agreed:

                             I.        the contents and timings of the work plan.

                           II.       to receive a progress report on alternate meetings.

                          III.       that the work plan and joint programme be referred to Area Panels for comment.