DECISION

1.    To approve the draft Housing Strategy and attached appendices for consultation.

2.    To note the responses to the 1^st stage consultation.

3.    To note the arrangements for the second stage consultation.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT AND RENEWAL (A. DALVI)

(Housing Strategy Manager (M. Ling)

Councillor Rachel Blake, Cabinet Member for Strategic Development introduced the report. She explained that the purpose of the report was to bring the strategy to the second stage consultation. Major concerns noted to date included on affordable housing and how many residents were being forced to leave the borough or pay high rents for low quality housing. There were also concerns around the impact of population growth, and how the Housing and Planning Act would worsen the housing crisis.

A number of strategies were proposed including promoting rights for private tenants and creating a housing company to deliver new homes.

The final strategy would be presented to Council in November 2016 for approval.

The Mayor thanked officers for the work they had undertaken on this project and in particular thanked Jackie Odunoye, Head of Strategy, Regeneration and Sustainability who was leaving the Council after many years’ good work. He also noted the importance of engaging with partners and as such welcomed the presentation to the Health and Wellbeing Board. He noted that too many residents were being pushed out of the Borough.

He agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.    To approve the draft Housing Strategy and attached appendices for consultation.

2.    To note the responses to the 1^st stage consultation.

3.    To note the arrangements for the second stage consultation.