Issue - items at meetings - ADOPTION OF A NEW HOUSING STRATEGY

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – REGULATORY

To consider the adoption of a new Housing Strategy

RESOLVED:

(1) That the adoption of the Council’s Housing Strategy (2019-2024) attached at Appendix 1 be approved:

(2) That the Service Director - Regulatory, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health, be authorised to make minor changes to the Strategy;

(3) That power be delegated to the Service Director - Regulatory, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health, to agree an annual action plan which will set out the specific actions to be undertaken to implement the Strategy;

(4) That the Service Director – Regulatory, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health, be authorised to deploy Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) homelessness funding of £173k (for 2019/20) to meet homelessness priorities identified in the Strategy;

(5) That, in the event the MHCLG provides homelessness funding beyond the financial year 2019/20, the Service Director – Regulatory, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health, be authorised to decide on the specific allocation of the funds in order to meet homelessness priorities, for the duration of the Strategy.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Council to undertake its strategic housing responsibilities over the next five years in a planned, transparent and inclusive manner. The Council is legally required to produce an up-to-date Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and a Tenancy Strategy.

Audio recording – Start of Item – Session 2 – 28 minutes 9 seconds

The Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health advised that, having held this portfolio for 12 years, this was his last Cabinet meeting. He paid tribute to the dedication, skill, expertise and sense of humour of all of the Officers that he had worked with over the years.

The Executive Member for Housing and Environmental Health presented the report entitled Adoption of a New Housing Strategy together with the following appendices:

· Appendix 1 – Proposed Housing Strategy (2019-2024);

· Appendix 2 – Feedback from consultation exercise (with Council responses);

· Appendix 3 – Equalities Impact Assessment

The following Members took part in the debate and asked questions:

· Councillor Julian Cunningham;

· Councillor Tony Hunter;

· Councillor David Levett;

· Councillor Michael Weeks

In response to questions the Executive Members for Housing and Environmental Health, the Service Director – Regulatory and Strategic Housing Manager responded to questions and advised that the effect of the Homelessness Reduction Act had not yet resulted in as high number as expected, however number may still increase further.