Decision details

Regular update on the delivery of new council homes under the 500 and 10 year new homes programmes.

Matter for Decision

This was a regular quarterly report showing progress on the City Council’s new housing delivery and development programme.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

      i.         Noted the continued progress on the delivery of the approved housing programme as outlined in Appendix 1 and 2 of the Officer’s report.

    ii.         Noted the issues encountered with Heating Systems at a number of new build schemes as identified in Para 4.11, and the Council adoption of an (MEP) Guardian/Consultancy route toward full system health checks, ensuring readiness for 2025 Heat Network Regulation implementation.

   iii.         Noted that Funding of £4,577,000 has now been allocated to the council for the first phase of development at East Barnwell through Homes England’s 21-26 AHP.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Director (Development).

The Assistant Director (Development) said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         Noted concerns raised regarding the Ekin Road redevelopment. The Council had an excellent record of finding the right home for people according to their needs. The letter which had recently been sent to residents was a technical letter and was something the Council had to do as part of the legal process. This was the period as part of a redevelopment process where officers could spend more time working with vulnerable residents. A meeting with residents would be organised in the summer so tenants could talk through their concerns and officers could advise them about choices available to them.

    ii.         In response to a question about Ekin Road, referred to paragraph 4.6.4 of the officer’s report which stated that ‘1 out of 3 freehold properties had been purchased, 3 out of 9 leasehold properties had started the legal process of selling and 47 out of 82 tenanted households had moved’.

   iii.         The East Barnwell redevelopment was proposed to start on the 17 March 2025. It was a 2-year development programme, and it was hoped that the first apartments would be handed over in 2 years’ time.

  iv.         Confidential discussions were taking place with shop keepers at East Barnwell. One retail unit would be delivered in phase one of the development.

    v.         Advised that the local housing allowance rent was set by Central Government; it wasn’t set by the Council.

  vi.         Noted reference to ‘commonhold housing’; the Council would comply with any new legislative requirements as part of its redevelopment programme. It wasn’t clear at the moment whether this legislation would apply retrospectively or not.

The Committee resolved by 6 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions to endorse the recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.