Issue - meetings

Cabinet:

Approved the HRA Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026, as set out at Appendix A, subject to the Foreword being agreed with the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing.

This decision was first published on Monday 7 February and so the deadline for call-in is 5 pm on Monday 14 February.

Cabinet:

Approved the HRA Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026, as set out at Appendix A, subject to the Foreword being agreed with the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing.

Cabinet received the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026. Councillor John Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Housing, introduced the report and highlighted the carbon neutrality of the Council’s housing stock, and the increase in affordable housing.

The Head of Housing commented on the consultation that had improved the strategy.

Councillor John Williams, Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, noted the Council’s influence on the quality of housing stock that was owned by the Council.

Councillor Brian Milnes, Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licencing said that the newly acquired apartment blocks in Sawston were of the same quality as those within the commercial market.

Councillor Heather Williams asked whether any updates would be provided after the 2021 census data had been published. The Head of Housing responded that this document would be continually updated.

Councillor Dr. Claire Daunton said she was pleased with the increased focus on communal rooms and alternative options for garages.

Councillor Bridget Smith, Leader of the Council, closed the discussion, thanked officers for their work, and Cabinet:

Approved the HRA Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026, as set out at Appendix A, subject to the Foreword being agreed with the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee is invited to comment on, and endorse the recommendation in, the attached draft Cabinet report.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee considered a report about the Asset Management Strategy 2021-2026. The Strategy set out the strategic medium and long-term approach to maintaining, improving, and developing the Council’s housing assets within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), and the key priorities for the physical care and improvement of the Council homes and their surrounding environment. 

Councillor Peter Fane said that the Council should take a very flexible approach to addressing housing needs not met by the market. The Council must recognise that, even when it did secure 40% affordable housing on new developments, that percentage may subsequently be reduced by viability. In any event those houses were not truly affordable because of market house prices in South Cambridgeshire.

The Council must recognise the need to extend this policy by looking at rural exception sites given there will be few new homes, whether council or market houses, built in smaller communities and thus making it very difficult to maintain the viability and sustainability of those communities in social, economic, and environmental terms.

Members agreed that both Ermine Street Housing and Shire Homes played an invaluable role in enabling the Council to acquire houses and rent them out to those who needed them without necessarily having to own those homes.

Councillor Dr. Claire Daunton highlighted the need for the Strategy to be supported by appropriate staff in terms of both numbers and skills.

Councillor Paul Bearpark called for priority to be given to those residents most at risk of encountering fuel poverty when programming work to insulate Council properties.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee recommended that Cabinet

a.    recognises that the Strategy should seek to maintain not just the fabric of the Council’s housing stock but also the estate surrounding that stock.

b.    considers buying back the equity share in part-owned homes where that provides good value for money to meet the needs of residents which could offer very much better value for money than seeking to build new houses.

c.     Subject to viability, and where the Council proposes to sell land, considers the option of itself building on that land to increase its own housing stock.