Agenda item

Background:

This report introduced the Housing Strategy 2015-2018, which set out Medway’s strategic approach for housing services and detailed how the Council would enable the delivery of these services. 

The strategy, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, provided a comprehensive picture of current housing needs and demands in Medway and set out how the Council and its partners would respond to existing and anticipated challenges. It was designed around four strategic priorities:

• Increase the supply of suitable and affordable homes;
• Improve the quality of homes, environment and people’s lives;
• Promote sustainability by supporting people within their community;
• Improve the flexibility of accommodation.

It was noted that the strategy had been developed based upon a comprehensive review and consideration of the national and local context; achievements and progress of the 2011-14 Housing Strategy; and, consultation and needs analysis.

Members were advised that the review and feedback received from the consultation, outlined in the report, had been taken into account in the subsequent development of the strategy and its action plan.

The Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered this report on 4 December 2014 and the report set out details of the points and questions raised, together with details of the officer’s responses. It was noted that the Committee had noted the draft strategy and endorsed it, with its views, prior to submission to Cabinet. The Committee’s agreement was subject to clarification of Medway’s affordable housing requirement and information regarding the number of benefit claimants moving to the area. These points, together with a number of typographical errors had been addressed within the updated draft strategy attached at Appendix A to the report.

Cabinet considered the contents of the Housing Strategy in detail. Discussion focused on the number of people moving into Medway and the impact of this upon the availability of affordable housing for the local population and the planning policy requirement for at least 25% of all new homes being affordable homes, which did not allow flexibility in response to local needs within Medway. The Cabinet considered these points and the requirements for the strategy to be set within the context of existing legislation and National Planning Policy Framework, which severely restricted local flexibility. During the discussion, the Cabinet expressed their support for encouraging shared ownership opportunities for local people.

A Diversity Impact Assessment screening form (Appendix 2 to the report) had been completed and showed that it was not necessary to proceed to a full diversity assessment.

Reasons:

Approval of the Draft Housing Strategy would enable the Council to comply with the requirement of Section 87 of the Local Government Act 2003 that the Council has a Local Housing Strategy and ensure that there is a common understanding of Medway’s housing market and how gaps in housing and/or housing related support can be addressed.