Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision: To consider the tenancy strategy.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing:

 

The Executive Councillor resolved to:

 

i. Approve the Tenancy Strategy for Cambridge subject to the revision of the wording to paragraph 5 of the strategy (changes underlined.

 

'The Council itself, through its own new-build programme, has demonstrated to the Homes and Communities Agency that 80% of market rents in the City would be unaffordable to most people on the Housing Register, and that rent levels should be around 65% of market rents and close to Local Housing Allowance rates. The Council would like to see other Registered Providers negotiating towards a similar position - to ensure some parity of Affordable Rent levels across the City, and to ensure that rents remain as affordable as possible.'

 

 

Reason for the Decision:

 

As per the officer report

 

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected:

 

Not Applicable

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

 

The committee received a report from the Head of Strategic Housing regarding the Tenancy strategy.

 

The committee made the following comments on the report

 

i.          Significant concerns were raised about any interference with the principle of secure tenancy, and the implications for communities if short terms tenancies were introduced.

 

ii.       The importance of ensuring that rents were affordable was agreed. Concern was expressed that the document appeared to only state that 65% target rents was an aspiration on new build programmes, and not the entire sector. The Executive Councillor re-assured the committee that the section was a guide.

 

iii.      The affordability of rents over 65% was strongly questioned. The Executive Councillor acknowledged the concerns raised about the affordability of rents over 65%, but suggested that it would be possibly more appropriate to set the target as a fixed percentage below local housing allowance.

 

iv.          Clarification was requested on the reference to the assumption with regards to secure tenancies on page 60 and 61 of the committee report. The Executive Councillor acknowledged the concern, and explained that policy applied to all providers in the city but that it remained the preference of the city council that other providers provided secure tenancies.

 

v.       In response to a question, the Housing Strategy Manager explained that was a requirement of the Localism Act for the city council to introduce a tenancy strategy.

 

Following discussion regarding the appropriateness of the wording with regards to the target rent for the present stock, it was agreed to delegate agreement on the wording to Chair, Spokes and Executive Councillor. The revised wording for paragraph 5 is listed in the decision text.

 

The Scrutiny Committee considered and endorsed the recommendations in the report by 4 votes to 0.

 

The Executive Councillor for Housing approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)

 

N/A