Agenda item

The Chair introduced the report, which was to inform the Board’s discussion on refreshing the LGA’s housing policy following the General Election.  Caroline Green, Senior Advisor, highlighted that housing was a priority for the new government, which was endorsed by the forthcoming Housing Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech. The current indication was that the Housing Bill would be debated in the autumn, but initial discussions were already taking place.

Measures expected to be in the Bill included commitment to deliver more affordable homes and deliver additional starter homes, extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants by requiring local authorities to sell their most expensive council housing, provide councils with stronger powers to bring forward brownfield land for development, and provide additional funding for infrastructure development.

The proposed LGA positions, which would form the basis of a refreshed LGA policy on housing and were intended as the priorities for discussion with Ministers and wider lobbying activity, were set out in the report.

In the discussion that followed the following points were discussed:

·         Housing associations were concerned that they would be losing their housing stock if Right to Buy was extended to housing association tenants, and could raise legal challenges. Housing associations should be given the full value of the house if tenants were able to purchase.

·         There was cross-party concern regarding the proposal that councils should sell off housing stock to fund Right to Buy.

·         Local Government needed to take a lead in researching how the government’s proposals would impact upon regions.

·         There was a need to define the percentage of council land available for development nationally.

·         There was an urgent need to increase funding for strategic infrastructure to support development, including the building of roads and schools to support new communities.

·         Consideration should be given to how the withdrawal of housing benefit for young people would impact upon local authorities if council housing stock was also reduced.

·         Clarity should be sought on who would receive infrastructure funding in three tier areas.

·         Current Section 106 contributions were inadequate and required revision.

·         ‘Like for like’ development of housing should be implemented, so that councils and housing associations built houses with the same number of bedrooms to replace those which were sold.

·         Councils should have the ability to take control and develop brownfield land which had been unused for a long period of time, such as ex-MOD sites.

·         Transparency and reporting of landholdings and valuation should be increased.

·         Compulsory purchase powers should be quicker and cheaper for councils to use.

·         There was a potential for the Rural Exception Scheme to be lost in the new Right to Buy arrangements, which was particularly important in many rural local authority areas.

·         The LGA should reaffirm that sustainability of development should remain a priority.

·         Any City deals should include funding for infrastructure in the areas concerned.

The Chair summarised that the areas raised by the Board would be taken into account, and further research would be conducted into the potential implications of the proposals. He would also raise the issues discussed at the Board with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Decision

·         That further research into the potential implications of the Housing Bill proposals be undertaken for consideration at the next meeting of the Board.

Action

·         Members’ comments on the proposed LGA positions set out in the report to be taken into account as part of the process to refresh the LGA policy on housing, and future reports to the Board.