Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee support the Housing Strategy and draft Action Plan for 2019/2024; and

(b)       That a report on the concept and options available in using modular homes to increase the supply of Council properties be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

The Chief Officer (Housing & Assets) introduced a report which outlined the Housing Strategy and draft Action Plan for 2019-2024.  The Housing Strategy and draft Action Plan set out the vision for how the Council, with its partners, would deliver affordable housing needs, provide relevant support to residents and ensured the creation of sustainable homes.

The Chief Officer outlined the number of achievements of the previous Housing Strategy, as detailed within the report and explained that the current Strategy would build on the previous achievements within the context of the current challenges faced, such as, welfare reform, the increase in ‘hidden’ homelessness and limited resources.  The report summarised the 3 priorities identified with key areas for action within each priority.

A workshop was due to be held in February 2019 with key stakeholders, the Council’s Housing Association Partners and other groups, to review the action plan, so as to: ensure the actions identified under each of the priorities were comprehensive, deliverable and affordable; identify any gaps in terms of the actions listed and identify outcomes/outputs and lead organisations.  The final version of the Housing Strategy and Action Plan would be available in Spring 2019.

Councillor Shotton commended the officers for the report.  He commented on the social enterprise in Anglesey which were providing timber framed buildings and asked whether consideration would be given to building similar homes in order to speed up the house build programme and meet the growing demand.  The Chief Officer responded that consideration was being given to a number of different house building concepts currently on the market.

Councillor Wisinger commented on the need to improve access to the private rented sector, and asked how local landlords were being encouraged to rent out their properties.  Councillor Attridge recognised the difficulties in engaging with local landlords and outlined his concerns that a greater number of landlords were not accepting applications from people in receipt of Universal Credit.  The Housing Strategy Manager advised that a meeting with local landlord was being planned to better understand their concerns and improve the Council’s working relationship with them. 

John Ennis, Chair of the Tenant’s Federation, informed the Committee that he had attended a conference in Cardiff which had discussed alternative building methods and asked if the Council had received any feedback from this conference.  The Chief Officer said that Welsh Government were currently considering alternative building options and that the Council were awaiting information on grant funding being made available for this.

Following a suggestion from Councillor Hughes, the Chief Officer agreed to provide the Committee with a report on the concept and options available in using modular homes to increase the supply of Council properties, to a future meeting.

            In response to concerns raised by Councillor Hutchinson regarding timber framed housing and increased fire risk, the Chief Officer advised that he did not concur with the views, noting that standards of fire safety were equal to those in traditionally constructed homes and constructed in compliance of current Building Regulations.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee support the Housing Strategy and draft Action Plan for 2019/2024; and

(b)       That a report on the concept and options available in using modular homes to increase the supply of Council properties be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.