Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing and Safety

Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item Councillors Driver, C. Hay, Walklett and Wheeldon left the room for this item and agenda item 13 and did not participate in the debate for either item.

In the absence of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor the Chief Executive asked for nominations to chair the meeting and Councillor Barnes was duly appointed.

The Cabinet Member Housing and Safety introduced the report which set out plans for the management and maintenance of CBC-owned housing stock from 2012-2042. She welcomed the forthcoming implementation of the self financing regime which would provide both an increase in resources and greater control of those resources. She wished to put on record her thanks to the Senior Leadership Team, CBH Board and CBH frontline staff.

The Leader of the Council welcomed the investment in Cheltenham’s housing stock which represented a big opportunity for the town.

A member asked whether the new social housing could be quantified. In response the Assistant Director CBH explained that this could not be quantified in the short to medium term but there were currently firm proposals on developing St Pauls phase 2, Cakebridge Place and the Garages. A report would be going to Cabinet in March. Subsequent to this CBH would seek to develop a continuous programme of development although this may be restricted by land availability at that time.

Upon a vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the strategy as outlined in the business plan at Appendix 2, be approved as part of the budget setting process.

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing and Safety

RESOLVED that it be recommended to Council that the strategy as outlined in the business plan at Appendix 2, be approved as part of the budget setting process.

Contrary to the report circulated with the agenda, the Accountable Member was in fact the Cabinet Member Housing & Safety.  Members were advised of a minor change to item 1.2.1 or the Business Plan, in which the second reference to scrutiny had been removed. 

The Business Plan had been developed to take account of the national policies that would impact social housing, namely, increases in rents and welfare reforms which would see a reduction in benefits, however, the plan included provisions for greater levels of bad debt.  CBH had developed a pro-active Asset Management Strategy which would ensure that stock decisions would be made through business planning protocols, though there was the possibility that this could be complicated by an initiative by the Government to stimulate the RTB market by offering increased reductions.  The strategy would use the additional resources arising from self financing in three ways:

New Build – with the aim of establishing a continuous programme of new build.

Existing stock – improvements including measures to reduce fuel poverty and the continuation of the neighbourhood works programme.

Services – increased support for tenants including further investment in community development to address ASB, financial and social exclusion and unemployment.

The Assistant Chief Executive – Resources (CBH) amplified the RTB comments made by the Cabinet Member Housing & Safety.  The current plan did not attempt to address the issue of RTB as at present the proposals by the Government included a wide range of initiatives to stimulate the market.  A formal response to the Government consultation on this issue had been submitted and made the point that redistribution of the RTB funds was a shortcoming of the previous HRA.  The Government were currently proposing the final initiative would be introduced by July 2012 and it was suggested that they would be raising the cap on the level of reductions available.  There were questions as to whether there would be demand given the current restrictions on lending by Banks. 

The Leader felt that the Business Plan signified positive progress for Cheltenham as a whole and thanked CBH for their hard work. 

Upon a vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that it be recommended to Council that the strategy as outlined in the business plan at Appendix 2, be approved as part of the budget setting process.