Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for Housing and Growth.  To be introduced by the Leader of the Council.]

Cabinet to consider and approve the responses to the Scrutiny Review of Social Housing.

(a)       Cabinet Response to the Scrutiny Review on Social Housing

The Leader introduced this item, and advised that the recommendations made in the attached scrutiny review report could be used to help guide the development of the policy agenda in housing, regeneration and planning for the new administration. While the report did not set out a detailed list of explicit objectives to be delivered to a given timescale, it did propose a clear direction of travel for policy in these areas. Many of the recommendations were positive and were either currently being incorporated into the Council’s approach or could be incorporated going forward. Some recommendations presented challenges to implementation and have therefore been responded to cautiously, with partial agreement. Specific reasons for each recommendation response were given in Appendix 2.

The overall approach of the report, which was comprehensive and detailed, was a helpful framework to inform the future housing policy of the Council.

In response to what other measures were being re-examined, in light of the acceptance of recommendation 13 (the need for sprinklers), it was highlighted that there was a thorough review of all blocks being carried out and that this involved all mechanisms, not just fire doors and hand-held sprinklers, being re-examined.

RESOLVED

1.    To consider the Overview and Scrutiny Report on social housing (attached at appendix 1).

2.    To agree the responses to the Overview and Scrutiny report recommendations (attached as Appendix 2).

Reasons for decision

On 26 March 2018, Overview and Scrutiny Committee approved the report of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel (HRSP) on social housing.

In developing its report, the HRSP held a number of evidence gathering sessions and took evidence from Council officers as well as a range of experts and local stakeholders. The HRSP then made a number of recommendations, which were adopted by Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 26 March 2018.

The recommendations made in the HRSP report can be used to help guide the development of the policy agenda in housing, regeneration and planning for the new administration. While the report does not set out a detailed list of explicit objectives to be delivered to a given timescale, it does propose a clear direction of travel for policy in these areas. Many of the recommendations are positive and are either currently being incorporated into the Council’s approach or can be incorporated going forward. Some recommendations present challenges to implementation and have therefore been responded to cautiously, with partial agreement. Specific reasons for each recommendation response are given in Appendix 2, the draft responses to recommendations. The overall approach of the report – which is comprehensive and detailed – is a helpful framework to inform the future housing policy of the Council.

Alternative options considered

None.