Agenda item

(Councillor Helena Mair re-joined the meeting at this stage.)

Bob Ledger, Director of Housing and Regeneration:

a.    presented a report which focused on the progress made towards delivering the quality housing priority

b.    identified that there were 20 projects in year one programme for delivering quality housing and of these 5 had been completed, 2 projects were delayed and the remaining 13 were on track for delivery

c.    explained that even though this was the first year of Vision 2020 there were some notable successes already which included:

·         Extension of the Rogue Landlord Scheme for a further 2 years

·         A minimum standard for affordable housing was introduced

·         A £0.99 million grant from Homes England secured for 33 shared ownership units

·         Building has commenced for over 200 affordable units

·         A £3.33 million grant from Homes England secured to build De Wint Court which would provide 70 extra care units.

d.    advised of and explained the emerging Performance Indicators at Appendix C of the report and asked for Members comments and questions.

Members discussed the report in further detail, making observations and asking questions as follows:

Question: The £0.99 million grant for 33 properties were these going to be shoeboxes or flats?

Response: Neither, they were going to be quality houses.

Question: With regards to Lytton Street would these properties be coming back to the Council?

Response: The intention was that the properties should come back to the Council but at that point in the exercise procurement rules would have to be adhered to.

Comment: It would be useful to show as an objective the target of 50 houses per year.

Response: This comment was noted.

Question: At page 66, Appendix B of the agenda papers it stated that since December 2017 594 properties had been inspected under the Rogue Landlord Scheme. Was this figure correct?

Response: The officer would investigate this matter further and respond to members after the meeting under separate cover.

Question: On page 67 of the agenda papers what did the acronym SAP stand for?

Response: The officer would investigate this further and respond to members under separate cover.

Question: Why was homelessness recorded as being complete on the report?

Response: The completed statement refers to the scoping out of homelessness prevention and a private sector housing partnership which was the original piece of work. It was the scoping out that had been completed.

Question: Members were still very concerned about empty properties, could officers provide more information on this issue?

Response: Part of addressing this issue was included in the empty homes strategy which would be presented to Policy Scrutiny in March or April 2018 Capital money was required to be able to enforce compulsory purchase orders and very often the properties were empty for very good, complex reasons.  First and foremost it had to be understood why the properties were empty. The processes for compulsory purchase orders were lengthy, slow and bureaucratic due to legislation.

Members thanked officers for the report and their comments and responses and emphasised the importance of information being provided in an understandable manner.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The following information be provided to members under separate cover:

·         The number of properties inspected under the Rogue Landlords Scheme since December 2017

·         The definition of the acronym SAP used within the report.

2.    The contents of the report be noted and that comments be referred to Executive for information.