Decision details

To note the feedback following the consultation on the draft Housing Strategy.

The Committee considered the Housing Strategy which set out the strategic housing priorities for the borough and how they would be achieved over the next 10 years.  The Committee were requested to approve the Commissioning Plan and Housing Strategy. 

During debate, Councillor Houston MOVED a motion which was duly seconded as follows:

Replace recommendation 1 with:

1.         That Council approve the final Housing Strategy at Appendix A, with the following additions:

That the Housing Strategy should:

·       Set out specific targets for delivering at least 50% affordable housing on developments on council-owned land, including a specific target of 50% to be social rented housing

·       Commit the council to developing a Supplementary Planning Document that sets out clear expectations on value in viability reports, including that viability calculations should be transparent and public. 

·       Commit the council to establish a policy on the local marketing of properties to minimise off-plan sales.  

·       Specify that where the council must transfer land to secure delivery of affordable housing it should have a long-term interest in the land eg. through retaining the freehold, keeping a long term equity stake in the value uplift of the land by adding covenants on disposal, and look at long term payback arrangements on private sector-led development.

·       Set out that on the regeneration schemes the same number of council homes as were originally there prior to the start of regeneration should be provided as a minimum.

·       Ensure that all longstanding non-secure temporary tenants on Barnet’s regeneration estates should be granted secure tenancies.

·       Look at developing  new intermediate rent and low cost home-ownership products, for example: 

·       Set out additional actions to improve standards in private rented sector, including: 

·       Investigate setting up a social lettings agency to offer a quality management service to private landlords for letting their properties at either market rent or affordable rent with the service either free of charge for tenants.

·       Investigate working with Housing Associations to bring empty/non-decent properties into the public housing sector.

·       Any acquisitions should prioritise purchases in borough.

Replace recommendation 2 with:

2.         That the Committee approve the final Commissioning Plan at Appendix B, with any appropriate amendments following from the amended recommendation 1.

Having been put to the vote the Committee voted:

For: 4

Against: 5

Abstain: 0

The Motion was therefore LOST.

The Chairman moved to the vote on the recommendations as set out in the report.  Votes were recorded as follows

For: 5

Against: 4

Abstain: 0

Immediately following the vote, Councillor Houston moved to refer the item to the next practicable meeting of Full Council in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.3 of Responsibility for Functions.  The reason given for the request to refer the item was:

“Housing is the central issue in Barnet. It is the second highest concern in the Residents Perception Survey. The proposed Labour Group amendments would have given the Strategy far more ambition in terms of affordable housing in the borough. It is appropriate that Full Council considers the Strategy.”

The Committee Members supporting the referral were:

Councillor Houston

Councillor Langleben

Councillor McGuirk

Councillor Roberts

RESOLVED that having received the requisite number of support for referral, the item will be placed on the agenda for consideration by Full Council.