Agenda item

Please be advised that the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny has further agreed that the call-in procedure shall not apply to this urgent decision. This is because the decision is urgent and any delay in implementation caused by the call-in procedure would seriously prejudice the Council's or the public's interests due to the fact that this opportunity has only been confirmed during March and is only available up to the date of the end of the programme (31^st March 2023) and so provides no other option than to proceed along this Special Urgency route, otherwise the Social Rent homes and grant would be lost.  Accordingly, the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed that the decision is both reasonable in all circumstances, and that it should be treated as a matter of urgency. This is in accordance with Part 4, Section H, and Paragraph 18 (a) and (b) of the Council Constitution.

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development considered the report which sought approval to change the tenure of 46 homes currently designated as Shared Equity units as part of the High Road West Scheme to Social Rent homes, increasing the number of Social Rent homes from 500 to 546.

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development RESOLVED to

1.         Agree to change the tenure of 46 homes currently designated as Shared Equity units as part of the High Road West Scheme to Social Rent homes as described in paragraphs 6.3-6.8 of the report.

2.            Delegate authority to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning to finalise any amendments to the existing contracts for the specification of the units to enable the change referred to at Recommendation 1.

3.            Note changes to the grant funding arrangements as set out in paragraph 6.9-6.12 of the report.

4.            Note that the Council’s offer to resident leaseholders is maintained as a commitment as set out in the Landlord Offer.

Reasons for decision

Social Rent is prioritised by the Council over other tenures of affordable housing as reflecting the urgent and immediate need in the borough.  As outlined in section 7 of this report, the Council’s Corporate Delivery Plan theme, “Homes for the future” states that the Council wants all its residents to have a safe, sustainable, stable and affordable homes and as such is committed to delivering new Council homes, bringing up the standard of private rented housing, and preventing homelessness.

An increase in the delivery of new Council owned social rented homes through the Scheme, from the 500 currently agreed, to 546, offers a chance to further address housing needs by increasing the number of this tenure of homes in the area and ensuring the mix of the new homes reflects the needs of residents who will be moving into them. This allows the Council to meet the needs of an increased number of residents on the Council’s Housing Register.

The availability of this additional funding subject to the recommendation in this report will only extend until 31^st March 2023.

Alternative options considered

Not to change the tenure of the Shared Equity homes

The Council could decide not to acquire the Shared Equity homes as Social Rent.

This would result in the loss of the opportunity to increase the numbers of Social Rent homes provided by the High Road West scheme. It also does not support the Council’s objectives of increasing the number of Council owned homes in the borough, at council rents.

In addition to this, the decision not to change the tenure of the Shared Equity homes would result in the loss of the opportunity for drawing in (this information is contained in the exempt report), while leaving the Council with the same issue later regarding what to do with any units not taken up by resident leaseholders.

To secure the delivery of the additional Social Rent units

This option forms the basis of this report. This option supports the delivery of additional social rent council homes for the reasons set out this report.