Issue - meetings

Referral from Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Meeting: 13/06/2023 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Referral from Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Housing Infrastructure Fund PDF 203 KB

Minutes:

This report set out a referral to the Cabinet from the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 30 March 2023. This related to the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), in light of the decision to pause the rail element of the HIF scheme and concerns over the related Grampian agreement in place for the housing developments. The report set out responses in relation to information about the progression of the HIF work that had been requested by the Committee.

It was noted that in May 2023, the Council had been informed by Homes England that it was recommending that funding for Medway’s HIF, which had been granted to support the Future Hoo project, be withdrawn from the national HIF programme. This was despite reassurance provided that the project would be delivered. A letter had been received on 9 June 2023 confirming the Homes England recommendation, with a final decision due to be made by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Should the funding be withdrawn, this would be a loss of £170million and would seriously compromise the Council’s ability to deliver a sustainable community for the Hoo Peninsula, wider north Kent marshes and the delivery of the Local Plan.

It was referenced during discussion that the Council had not previously been able to deliver a Local Plan and that this was considered likely to have influenced the Homes England recommendation.

All efforts would be made to persuade Homes England and the Department not to withdraw the funding. The Leader of the Council had written to the Minister responsible for HIF in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to request an urgent meeting.

Decision

number:

Decision:

The Cabinet noted the officer responses to the requests made to officers by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.4 of the report.

79/2023

Noting the officer comments set out at paragraphs 3.1 to 3.6.2 of the report, the Cabinet agreed the following requests as made by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

i) A commitment to revisiting the consultation process if changes are proposed.

ii) Provision of a refreshed governance structure for the project going forward to include the relevant community groups such as councillors, parish councillors and other community groups.

Reasons:

The Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee has made this recommendation to Cabinet in accordance with its entitlement, under the Council’s Constitution, to make recommendations to Cabinet arising from the outcome of the scrutiny process (Constitution – Articles of the Constitution - Chapter 2, Article 6, Paragraph 6.4). Cabinet is, therefore, was required to consider its response.