To consider the submitted report on a review of the Housing Strategy and use of the Housing Company.

Further to the request of the Council on 19 July 2018 for a review of the delivery and implementation of the Housing Strategy, Members received the submitted report on the outcome of the review and current position.  It was noted the Assistant Director of Business Services had been delegated Council’s instructions for delivery of affordable housing schemes by the Chief Executive to avoid any conflict of interest in relation to the TDA or other senior officers’ involvement with the Council’s Housing Company.

Councillor Stocks proposed and Councillor Mills seconded a motion as set out below:

(i)         that, the Director of Adults and Housing be instructed to amend, consolidate and refresh Torbay Council’s existing Housing Strategy and associated documents so that they align with the Council’s current approach to policy framework documents, encompass the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), following a period of development and consultation, the revised Housing Strategy for Torbay to be presented to Council for approval as soon as possible after the local elections in May 2019;

(ii)        that, the Housing Committee be asked to consider the benefits and/or disadvantages of merging the Housing Rental Company (RentCo) into the TDA, or a subsidiary of the TDA to enable relevant schemes to be delivered at pace, and report back to Council with an appropriate recommendation;

(iii)       that, the Assistant Director of Business Services, be requested to identify additional potential sites for affordable housing and report on this to Council in October 2018;  and

(iv)       that, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 19 September 2018 for £2 billion of government funding to build new homes, the Director of Adult Services and Housing be instructed to pursue this funding for Torbay.

During the debate Councillor Thomas (D) proposed and Councillor Tyerman seconded an amendment to the motion as follows:

(iii)       That, the Assistant Director of Business Services, be requested to identify additional potential sites for affordable housing and report on this to Council in October 2018.

(iii)       that, in accordance with Minute 67 of 19 July 2018, Council re-emphasises its requirement for the housing schemes at Redwell Lane, Totnes Road and St Kilda’s to be progressed as a matter of urgency, but notes that no decision has yet been taken in this respect.  It is further noted that the Chief Executive has delegated this decision to be implemented by the Assistant Director of Business Services.  In light of this further delegation, that the Assistant Director of Business Services be instructed, as a matter of urgency, to make a decision regarding the delivery of the schemes, as per Minute 67, and to utilise the £20,000 previously identified to continue the ongoing design, planning and procurement work required to secure delivery of these affordable housing schemes at the earliest opportunity.

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 Director of Adults and Housing be instructed to amend, consolidate and refresh Torbay Council’s existing Housing Strategy and associated documents so that they align with the Council’s current approach to policy framework documents, encompass the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), following a period of development and consultation, the revised Housing Strategy for Torbay to be presented to Council for approval as soon as possible after the local elections in May 2019;

(ii)        that, the Housing Committee be asked to consider the benefits and/or disadvantages of merging the Housing Rental Company (RentCo) into the TDA, or a subsidiary of the TDA to enable relevant schemes to be delivered at pace, and report back to Council with an appropriate recommendation;

(iii)       that, in accordance with Minute 67 of 19 July 2018, Council re-emphasises its requirement for the housing schemes at Redwell Lane, Totnes Road and St Kilda’s to be progressed as a matter of urgency, but notes that no decision has yet been taken in this respect.  It is further noted that the Chief Executive has delegated this decision to be implemented by the Assistant Director of Business Services.  In light of this further delegation, that the Assistant Director of Business Services be instructed, as a matter of urgency, to make a decision regarding the delivery of the schemes, as per Minute 67, and to utilise the £20,000 previously identified to continue the ongoing design, planning and procurement work required to secure delivery of these affordable housing schemes at the earliest opportunity;  and

(iv)      that, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 19 September 2018 for £2 billion of government funding to build new homes, the Director of Adult Services and Housing be instructed to pursue this funding for Torbay.