Committee details
Housing Policy and Affordability Commission
Purpose of committee
Tower Hamlets is one of London’s most unaffordable boroughs and Mayor John Biggs is committed to delivering actual affordable housing.
Mayor Biggs has established a Cabinet Commission to investigate the delivery of actual affordable housing in Tower Hamlets. The Commission will meet three times in December 2015, January 2016 and February 2016.
Acceptable rent levels affordable to people in LB Tower Hamlets identified by the Commission will to be applied to future housing development schemes currently in the pipeline and recommended for future approval including:
· Schemes built by the Council using its Right to Buy receipts
· Schemes built by Registered Providers using Council Right to Buy receipts proved as grant
· Open market ex Council properties acquired by either the Council or Registered Providers using Council Right to Buy receipts
The Commission will also consider current models for low cost Home Ownership.
The Commission will consider the impact of the proposals set out in the 2015 Housing and Planning Bill on affordability in the borough, particularly the Starter Homes initiatives and Pay to Stay for high income social tenants and the Chancellor’s autumn budget statement
Background papers for each meeting will be sent out a week before the date of the meeting and published on a dedicated page on the Council’s website.
The expert Panel appointed by the Mayor are as follows:
Name |
Role |
Organisation |
Cllr Rachel Blake |
|
LB Tower Hamlets |
Mayor John Biggs |
|
LB Tower Hamlets |
Cllr Siraj Islam |
|
LB Tower Hamlets |
Yvonne Arrowsmith |
Chief Executive |
East Thames |
Duncan Bowie |
Senior Lecturer |
University of Westminster |
Sarah Sackman |
Barrister |
Francis Taylor Building |
Dan Hopewell |
Director of Strategy |
Bromley By Bow Centre |
Faraz Baber |
Planning and Development Policy |
London First |
Alastair Baird |
Regional Managing Director |
Barratt Homes London |
The Commission’s findings will be written up in a report for the Mayor in Cabinet scheduled for March 2016.
The final report will be produced by the Strategy, Sustainability and Regeneration in the Development and Renewal Directorate
The expert panel will be asked to comment on an initial and final draft of the report prior to it being signed off by the Chair of the Commission.
All findings will be attributed to the panel as a whole. Specific comments will not be recorded as such or attributed to an individual panel Member.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS TO THE HOUSING AFFORDIBILITY COMMISSION
The Housing Policy and Affordability Commission is inviting Members of the Public, and those from Housing organisations to submit written evidence for consideration. Please ensure evidence is in line with the terms of reference for the Commission, as listed above.
The deadline for written evidence is Monday 25th January 2015 at 4.00p.m. To make a submission please email Martin.Ling@TowerHamlets.Gov.UK and Tom.Scholes-Fogg@TowerHamlets.Gov.UK.
Membership
- Yvonne Arrowsmith
- Faraz Baber
- Alastair Baird
- Councillor Rachel Blake (Member)
- Duncan Bowie
- Dan Hopewell
- Councillor Sirajul Islam (Member)
- Sarah Sackman
Contact information
Support officer: Martin Ling (Housing Strategy Manager) Email: martin.ling@towerhamlets.gov.uk. , and Tom Scholes-Fogg (Democratic Services Clerk) Email: tom.scholes-fogg@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Postal address:
2nd Floor, Mulberry Place
5 Clove Cresent
Tower Hamlets
London
E14 2BG
Phone: 020 7364 0469