Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Community Direction) attached.

Members received an annual update on affordable housing permissions granted, completions and projections.

Concern was expressed that delivery wasn’t much higher than prior to the 40% threshold being adopted, due to developers arguing about viability, and members asked how this could be valid in light of increasing house/land prices. It was requested that officers from Coventry City Council, who were contracted to do viability assessments on HBBC’s behalf, be asked to attend a future meeting to explain the methodology behind the recommendations made. It was agreed that thought needed to be given to how to strengthen the authority’s case to argue against viability claims. The Chief Executive advised members that the District Councils’ Network had made a submission to government, which included a strong reference to this particular difficulty.

Concern was expressed regarding commuted sums and off-site provision of affordable housing, and the risk of affordable housing being provided off-site as part of the SUEs.

RESOLVED –

(i)         the report be noted;

(ii)        viability assessments be discussed at a future meeting.