Agenda item

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking, and Local Economy and the Assistant Director for Housing.

This report seeks agreement of Haringey's Housing Strategy 2023-2028, following public consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking, and Local Economy and the Assistant Director for Housing introduced the report which sought agreement of Haringey's Housing Strategy 2023-2028, following public consultation.

In response to questions from Councillor Cawley - Harrison, the following was noted:

-       The Local Plan had a policy on affordable housing for all new schemes, this sought out a split of 70% social rented housing and 30% intermediate housing. Officers would seek intermediate housing as part of any negotiations.

-       The Council were not the only party building affordable homes in the borough. There were several significant registered social landlord’s schemes and private developers bringing forward affordable housing.

-       The evidence from the housing needs work showed that some forms of intermediate housing were not affordable in Haringey’s context. Officers were looking more at providing intermediate rent options, this would be more accessible for the target groups.

-       The Council have had their first meeting with the Homelessness Reduction Board. This had a high turn-out from partners and was a positive step forward.

-       Following the Annual Rough Sleeper count, there was a total number of 49 rough sleepers. The Council needed to have to have a joined-up approach to address the issue and help get residents into stable homes. Housing First was one of the pathways which would enable this, the Council had just been successful in a bid for finance behind this scheme.

-     The Council were building accessible homes to lifetime home standards.

RESOLVED

1. To note the outcome of the consultation process summarised at 6.7-6.9 of this report and set out in the Report at Appendix 2

2. To adopt the new Housing Strategy attached as Appendix 1 and summarised in paragraphs 6.5 to 6.22.

3. To note that the Housing Planning and Development scrutiny Panel have no changes to the Housing Strategy and recommend Cabinet note their comments set out below at paragraphs 9.1 to 9.8 in accordance with Part four Section E paragraph 2.2 of the Council’s Constitution.

4. To note that the Housing Planning and Development scrutiny Panel have no changes to the Housing Strategy and recommend Cabinet note their comments set out below at paragraphs 9.1 to 9.8 in accordance with Part four Section E paragraph 2.2 of the Council’s Constitution.

Reasons for decision

A robust strategy is widely recognised as essential to the delivery of local

authorities' housing functions. Haringey’s current Housing Strategy ran from

2017-2022. A new Housing Strategy is required.

In March 2022, Cabinet agreed a draft Housing Strategy as the basis for a formal consultation on the Council’s approach to housing in Haringey over the next five years. Officers duly consulted on that draft Housing Strategy for

twelve weeks between September and December 2022. As set out in paras

6.7 to 6.9, and in Appendix 2, the consultation showed strong support for most

of the proposals in the draft Strategy. Officers have analysed the comments

received during that consultation and as a result have made a number of

changes to the draft Strategy, as set out in paras 6.10 to 6.12 and in Appendix

2. Further changes to the draft Strategy result from changes to the legislative,

regulatory, and economic context since March 2022 (see 6.13-6.21).

Alternative options considered.

The Council could decide not to recommend adopting a Housing Strategy:

Local Authorities are not required to adopt one. This option is not

recommended for two reasons. Firstly, the Council is committed to adopting a

Housing Strategy having agreed a draft Housing Strategy and then carried out

formal consultation which showed strong support for its proposals. Secondly,

although they are not statutorily required, robust strategies are widely

recognised as essential to the delivery of local authorities' housing functions.

Cabinet could amend the Housing Strategy proposed here before

recommending it to Full Council. This option is not recommended because

formal consultation showed strong support for the draft Strategy; and because

comments and feedback received through that consultation have already led

to amendments and improvements to the Strategy now being proposed. In

addition, amendments to the draft Housing Strategy have been made during a

detailed governance process that respond to changes in the legislative,

regulatory, and economic context since March 2022.