Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

This is a standing item which has been placed on the agenda at the request of the Scrutiny Committee on 21 September 2015 to allow officers to provide an update on any developments with regard to recent announcements from the government relating to social housing.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the likely impact of recent policy announcements including the Housing Bill 2015 and the Comprehensive Spending Review with regard to social housing since the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on 2 November 2015.

The Executive Councillor for Thriving Economy (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

This is a standing item which has been placed on the agenda at the request of the Scrutiny Committee on 21 September 2015 to allow officers to provide an update on any developments with regard to recent announcements from the government relating to social housing.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on policy changes with regard to social housing since the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on 21 September 2015.

The Executive Councillor for Thriving Economy (Councillor Patrick McAuley) and the Chief Executive of Stockport Homes (Helen McHale) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The National Housing Federation had submitted an offer document to the Government to voluntarily extend the right to buy provisions to all 2.3 million registered housing association tenants subject to the Government guaranteeing to cover in full the discount that would be received by tenants.  Registered providers would subsequently commit to use these monies for a one for one replacement programme to reprovide lost housing stock.  However, the offer accepted that the Government would enforce the sale of expensive Council owned housing to pay these monies.

·         The impact of the ‘pay to stay’ scheme for social tenants on a high income was discussed including the difficulties around ascertaining tenants’ incomes.

·         It was noted that the Office for National Statistics had recently ruled that private registered providers of social housing in England would be reclassified as public non-financial corporations with effect from 22 July 2008. 

·         It was queried whether the action by the National Housing Federation to enter into a voluntary agreement with the Government in respect of the right to buy was part of a pre-emptive action to avoid nationalisation.

·         Concern was expressed that the introduction of fixed term tenancies would undermine the stability of social housing estates.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.