Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for Housing and Growth. To be introduced by the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal]

To make decisions regarding the future of some of the blocks on the Broadwater Farm estate including to consult residents following the receipt and consideration of structural reports and feasibility studies.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal introduced the report which sought approval to immediately re-house residents in Tangmere block, for safety reasons and also sought approval to consult with the residents of Tangmere and Northolt blocks on whether to carry out the required strengthening works or whether to demolish the blocks and rebuild the Council homes on the estate. These actions were required following structural surveys, which concluded that these blocks did not meet key structural criteria. The report further expressed the Council’s preferred option in the consultation, which was to demolish the blocks.

The Cabinet Member expressed the Council’s commitment to safe decent and affordable homes for everyone and having understood the structural issues with these two blocks needed to guarantee the safety of residents .This was in keeping with the Council’s overall responsibility as a landlord .There was the possibility strengthening the blocks to a habitable standard. However, this should not be the standard and there was a political commitment to offer tenants far more than habitability and the Council were committed to expressing a view on what it felt tenants deserved. The Cabinet was clear that there was no decision being taken immediately on the demolition or strengthening options and would continue to listen to residents on Broadwater Farm.

The Cabinet Member outlined that a decision of this scale, to demolish people’s homes, was not one that could be taken lightly. The decision on the future of these blocks would not be taken now. The Council were committing to consult residents in Northolt and Tangmere.

The Cabinet Member continued to provide assurance that residents would be central to this process throughout and their views fully taken into account before taking any final decision either to demolish the blocks or to strengthen, and on the approach to rehousing.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal advised the meeting that residents should have as much choice over where they live as possible and proposed to Cabinet that the Council go further for Tangmere tenants, and also give them ‘Band A’ priority on the housing register, even after they’ve moved from the block. This would give them priority to bid for other Council homes that fall vacant, so they can move again if they wish. Under this amendment, residents in Tangmere, if required, would be able to continue to bid and still have a right to return to the estate whatever the outcome of the future decision on the blocks i.e. strengthening or re-building.

The Cabinet Member proposed that the above commitment be reflected in the Rehousing Policies that would apply to the residents of Tangmere and further proposed that Cabinet agree an additional recommendation to delegate authority to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member, to amend the Tangmere Rehousing Priority Scheme and the proposed Rehousing Policy to reflect the above commitment.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal continued to respond to questions from Cabinet Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8