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Agenda item

Proactive Delivery of Affordable Housing

Purpose

This report seeks to outline the council’s aspiration for a more proactive approach to increase the supply of affordable housing within the district, outline of how this can be achieved, and the resources required.  

 

Recommendations:

That Cabinet resolves to:

1.    Note the suggestions to explore more innovative and proactive models to enhance the Council’s ability to increase the supply of affordable homes within the district.

 

Invited

Cllr Joe Harris, Leader of the Council

Charlie Jackson, Assistant Director for Planning and Sustainability

 

Minutes:

The Leader introduced the item.

 

The purpose of the item was to outline the Council’s aspiration for a more proactive

approach to increase the supply of affordable housing within the district, outline of how this can be achieved, and the resources required.

 

The Leader stated reported to the Committee that a senior officer to drive the housing level at a strategic level would be employed. The Leader hoped that this would provide more in-house expertise in this area, which was a Council priority

 

Members discussed the recommendation, which was ‘to note’ the report. Members highlighted that it is generally not the role of Cabinet to note reports, and that the Cabinet recommendations should highlight this. The Leader stated that the Officer would remove the “note the suggestion to”  in the report.

 

The Committee discussed the definition of affordable housing, as it was highlighted that there are many types. The Leader stated that the form of affordable housing that the Council was aiming to deliver was tenure blind social rented housing. The Leader also stated that there needed to be more state built affordable housing, with the long term aspiration being for the Council to build housing.

 

RESOLVED: To note the Cabinet report.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Jenkinson and seconded by Councillor Turner.

 

For- 7, Against 0, Abstentions 0

 

 

OS.10Q2 Performance Report

 

The Chief Executive Officer introduced the report, and provided highlights, including;

  • Work had been undertaken on transitioning services from the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership, including the funding of the growth hub.
  • Another round of the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme had been undertaken, to deliver food and activities for eligible children across the district over the holidays.
  • The Collaboration Agreement entered into by the Council and Bromford Housing to deliver the Down Ampney housing development had been delayed due to drainage concerns, but progress was now underway with drawings approved by members and a Planning Application due to be submitted in November.
  • “Spotlight on Planning" Town & Parish Council Forum events were held during September in Cirencester and Moreton in Marsh.

 

Members discussed the report and raised the following points, which the Chief Executive Officer stated written responses would be provided to;

  • ‘Deliver our Climate Change Action Plan’ was considered to be off-target, but did not contain an update, could this be provided?
  • On the asset management strategy, the report stated that costs were being finalised with the consultant, Members asked for more details on this cost.
  • The ‘Make My House Green’ scheme was considered to be a success, what were the KPIs and the business arrangement with MakeMyHouseGreen regarding any discounts offered or fees paid to CDC?
  • Who were the the installers for the EV charging points?
  • ‘Work with Ubico to adopt ultra-low emission vehicle technology’, as the delivery of this was constrained by the technology available, should the action be removed?
  • Further details were requested on the ecological emergency work, in relation to what this included?
  • More details in the narrative were requested generally, and the Chief Executive Officer stated that this would be taken forward for future reports.
  • Further details were requested on decarbonisation, and work to deliver decarbonisation, including a member briefing. The Chief Executive Officer stated that in light of the decision not to recruit a replacement sustainable transport officer, the Council were working alongside the County Council, to ensure this was still being carried out.

 

Members also asked for clarification on the council tax collection targets, these were clarified by officers as being cumulative targets.

 

The Democratic Services Officer added that Member training had been arranged on Biodiversity Net Gain and Retrofitting Historic Buildings but was not aware of decarbonisation training, and would follow this up with the Head of Climate Action.

 

RESOLVED: To note the report.

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Jenkinson and seconded by Councillor Turner.

 

For- 7, Against 0, Abstentions 0

Supporting documents:

 

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