Issue - meetings

To present the recommendations of the Scrutiny Commission arising from the scrutiny review into housing, including requesting action by the Executive.

Members were presented with the recommendations from the Scrutiny Commission arising from the housing review.

Members thanked the Scrutiny Task and Finish group for their work. It was acknowledged that the request for additional staffing for empty homes would need to be considered in the usual budget process alongside other spending  priorities.

It was also suggested that the recommendation to increase capacity in relation to acquiring S106 properties be referred to officers as expertise was already available within the existing establishment.

It was suggested that the Panel could be consulted on the response to the consultation on Right to Buy that was currently being undertaken, subject to timescales.

It was moved by Councillor Bools, seconded by Councillor Mullaney and

                    RESOLVED –

(i)              The principle of provision of additional staffing to investigate empty properties and bring them back into use. be supported, subject to consideration during the budget setting process;

(ii)             Officers be requested to consider opportunities for acquiring S106 properties utilising existing expertise.      

                    The Government be lobbied in relation to:

·        Section 106 sites: relating to affordable housing, engagement with registered providers, community infrastructure and viability 

·        Right to buy: restricting the sale of council properties to support the council in retaining housing stock 

·        Empty properties: funding to assist with bringing empty properties back into use 

·        Officer capacity and funding: funding for staffing to progress housing initiatives and requesting additional financial support for developing and acquiring council housing 

·        General: promoting a more coordinated approach to housing-related policies across government departments (for example, resettlement schemes, homelessness, prison discharge). 

To present the final report of the Housing Task & Finish Group. Members are asked to consider the recommendations within the report and recommend them to the Executive.

The Scrutiny Commission received the report of the task & finish group following its review of housing and homelessness. It was moved by Councillor Williams, seconded by Councillor Gibbens and

RESOLVED –

(i)            Officers be recommended to:

a.    Share information between the revenues and the housing services including a list of empty properties, the size of the properties and any second homes where the owner also lived in the borough;

b.    Continue dialogue with local landlords and their representatives with a view to seeking to work together to relieve pressure on the homelessness service.

(ii)          The Executive be recommended to:

a.    Consider providing additional staffing to investigate empty properties and bring them back into use;

b.    Consider increasing capacity and expertise within the relevant team to benefit from opportunities to acquire S106 properties;

c.    Lobby government in relation to:

·         Section 106 sites: relating to affordable housing, engagement with registered providers, community infrastructure and viability;

·         Right to buy: restricting the sale of council properties to support the council in retaining its housing stock;

·         Empty properties: funding to assist with bringing empty properties back into use;

·         Officer capacity and funding: funding for staffing to progress housing initiatives and requesting additional financial support for developing and acquiring council housing

·         General: promoting a more coordinated approach to housing-related policies across government departments.

(iii)         A review of the action undertaken following the consideration of the recommendations be added to the overview & scrutiny work programme for 2025/26.

To provide an overview of housing issues and pressures facing residents to support discussion on areas of work that the Scrutiny Commission may wish to review.

Members were presented with a high-level overview of housing issues and pressures facing residents and housing services at the council to inform a scrutiny review of an area of housing. During discussion, the following points were raised:

·         The need to lobby government to make it easier to obtain stock

·         The problems of the right to buy scheme resulting in the council losing properties without the receipts to replace them

·         The need to lobby government to ease restrictions in order to prevent “bedroom tax”

·         The importance of supporting families to prevent breakdown of relationships

·         The number of empty homes outside of the council’s control.

It was moved by Councillor Crooks and seconded by Councillor Gibbens that the scope for the review includes those listed at 3.3 in the report, with the addition of empty homes.

RESOLVED –

(i)            The scope for the scrutiny review be agreed as:

·         Understand the pathways that people use to access housing and the barriers

·         Develop a strategy to increase the availability of private rented accommodation

·         Lobby government for more funding for affordable housing, in particular making it easier for councils to increase their own housing stock

·         Consideration of how empty homes can help with the housing shortage.

(ii)          The review take place by way of task & finish group, with group leaders being asked to nominate members.