Issue - decisions

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report and thanked Officers for the amount of work that had gone in to producing the programme. In light of the scrapping of the HRA debt cap, it set out some ambitious proposals for delivery of new housing sites across the Borough in the short, medium and long term.

Resolved:

That

(i)               the progress with the Affordable Housing Programme 2015-2018, set out at Appendix 1 to the report, and street properties purchased set out at Appendix 2 to the report, be noted.

(ii)             the content of the proposed new Programme to 2022 – originally submitted as part of the HRA debt cap uplift bid to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, shown at exempt Appendix 3 to the report, be noted and approved.

(iii)           authority be delegated to the Head of Housing, the Head of Finance and in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders, to vary the programme as necessary to maximise use of one-for-one monies for the purchase of street properties, subject to resources being available within the HRA Business Plan.

(iv)           the Head of Legal and Democracy be authorised, in consultation with the Head of Housing, to execute and complete all necessary documentation to give effect to the above recommendations including the execution of any agreement necessary for the receipt of grant.

(v)             delegated power be granted to the Head of Housing, Head of Finance, Housing Operations Manager for Development and the Development and Regeneration Manager, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to bid for and/or purchase land suitable for development, up to a value of £2m, independently of Cabinet approval.