To consider the submitted report on the above.

(Note:  this report contains an exempt appendix which has been circulated separately.)

Following the decision of the Council on 20 July 2017, members considered proposals to simplify and streamline the governance arrangements to include the Housing Strategy within the Housing Rental Company Committee’s terms of reference and to extend the membership of the Committee to include the Executive Lead with responsibility for housing (as set out in the submitted report).  The submitted report also set out proposals for the utilisation of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget monies, including allocation of parts of the budget to the Housing Rental Company (or another provider) and governance arrangements for final decisions on spending the budget.

Councillor King proposed and Councillor Haddock seconded a motion as set out below:

(i)         that the terms of reference for the Housing Rental Company Committee be amended to include oversight of the delivery of the Council's Housing Strategy;  and

(ii)        that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Housing Rental Company Committee, be given delegated authority to allocate parts of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to the Housing Rental Company to facilitate the delivery of affordable housing while ensuring that any funding conditions/obligations associated with the Affordable Housing Capital Budgets are met - with any final decisions on the spend of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to be presented to the most appropriate decision maker.

During the debate Councillor Lewis proposed and Councillor Tyerman seconded an amendment to the motion as follows:

(i)         that the terms of reference for the Housing Rental Company Committee be amended to include oversight of the delivery of the Council's Housing Strategy;

(ii)        that the governance arrangements of the Housing Rental Company Committee be changed so that the Executive Lead with responsibility for Housing is a member of the Housing Rental Company Committee;  and

(iii)       that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Housing Rental Company Committee, be given delegated authority to allocate parts of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to the Housing Rental Company to facilitate the delivery of affordable housing while ensuring that any funding conditions/obligations associated with the Affordable Housing Capital Budgets are met - with any final decisions on the spend of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to be presented to the most appropriate decision maker.

The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.

The amended (substantive) motion was then considered by members, which was agreed by the Council as follows:

(i)         that the terms of reference for the Housing Rental Company Committee be amended to include oversight of the delivery of the Council's Housing Strategy;

(ii)        that the governance arrangements of the Housing Rental Company Committee be changed so that the Executive Lead with responsibility for Housing is a member of the Housing Rental Company Committee;  and

(iii)       that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Housing Rental Company Committee, be given delegated authority to allocate parts of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to the Housing Rental Company to facilitate the delivery of affordable housing while ensuring that any funding conditions/obligations associated with the Affordable Housing Capital Budgets are met - with any final decisions on the spend of the Affordable Housing Capital Budget to be presented to the most appropriate decision maker.