Cllr
Emine Ibrahim, Cabinet Member for
Housing and Estate Renewal, responded to questions from the Panel
on issues relating to her portfolio:
- Cllr Gordon asked for
further details about the purchase of 29 homes at 500 White Hart
Lane. Cllr Ibrahim said that this related to a Cabinet decision
made some time ago and that, of the 29 homes, 6 of them were always
going to be shared ownership properties, so only 23 of them were
counted towards the Council’s housing target. Her
understanding was that this purchase was funded through the Housing
Revenue Account (HRA). A proposal to allow leaseholders from the
Love Lane estate to be offered the first opportunity to purchase
the shared ownership properties would shortly be considered by the
Cabinet. However, the tenure of these 6 properties had not been
changed as their shared ownership status had been determined by a
Cabinet decision made quite some time previously. Cllr Ibrahim said
that she would provide details to the Panel of the date that this
decision had previously been made. (ACTION) Asked by Cllr
Gordon why these 6 homes, which would end up in the private sector,
were being paid for through the HRA, Cllr Ibrahim said that the
leaseholders would need to purchase their share of the equity so
the Council would get the money back for any share of the
properties obtained by the leaseholders.
- Cllr Brabazon said that, according to the original
Council report on 500 White Hart Lane, the total cost of the
Council’s purchase of the 29 properties was approximately
£4.5m, which averages out at around £150,000 per
property. Asked if this was accurate and at what price they would
now be valued at, Cllr Ibrahim said that she would need to refer to
the relevant Cabinet reports for the exact figures.
- Cllr Say asked for
reassurance that there was a procedure in place for the naming of
buildings. Cllr Ibrahim said that there is a planning policy and
procedure in place which is followed for such matters.
- Cllr Moyeed asked for details about work to support
rough sleepers in the Borough during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Cllr Ibrahim said that she was proud of the work that had been done
in this area, with the Council having met the Government’s
“Everybody In’ challenge of accommodating all rough
sleepers, including those who would not usually have been found to
be in priority need. The Council had also developed a Rough
Sleeping Discretion Policy to provide support to people who are not
covered by the Council’s existing statutory duty, including
those who are not eligible for housing assistance due to their
immigration status, even after the Government has reverted back to
its previous guidance in this area.
- Asked by Cllr
Moyeed about the Council’s
commitment to social rented properties, Cllr Ibrahim said that she
and the Council remain strongly committed to social rented
properties as they are the most affordable and secure type of
tenure.
- Cllr Brabazon asked about a letter from March 2020
relating to High Road West that was recently published on Twitter.
Cllr Ibrahim said that some of the information on the relevant
Twitter feed was misleading and included some out of date
information.
- Asked by Cllr Gordon
about whether the consultation on changes to the Local Lettings
Policy with regards to the Love Lane estate would include all Love
Lane residents, Cllr Ibrahim confirmed that it would.