Agenda item

The Chairman introduced Victoria Latham, Deputy Director, Local Authority Housing & Right to Buy from the Department of Levelling up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) to give a presentation on the work towards council housebuilding.

Members made the following comments:

• New council houses were being built, but a larger challenge was to make the existing stock more carbon efficient. There was a lack of long-term funding to help decarbonise homes.
• Concerns were raised that material requirements planning (MRP) had been making housebuilding unaffordable for councils.
• Members raised that many refugees from recent conflicts were staying in hotels while waiting to be housed, increasing pressure on councils to deliver housing.

In response, Victoria Latham made the following comments:

• The development of new builds was welcomed news, and it was recognised that it was not ideal that councils needed to bid for various funding pots. There would be collaboration with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to determine a long-term plan to decarbonise homes.
• Members were invited to provide further feedback relating to the MRP so that it could be passed on to HM Treasury and local government finance team at DLUHC

The Chairman thanked Victoria Latham for her attendance.

Decision:

1.     Members noted the key issues outlined in paragraphs 6-10 to the report.

2.     Members noted the LGA next steps as set out in paragraph 12 to the report.