Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest.

The Scrutiny Board noted that Councillor Lakha and Taylor were both City Council appointed representatives on Whitefriars Board.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 November, 2017

(b)  Matters Arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 November, 2017 were approved and signed as a true record.

(a)  Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

(b)  Submission from Midland Heart

Representatives from Stonewater and Whitefriars are expected to attend the meeting.

Councillors L Harvard, R Lakha, K Taylor and C Thomas, City Council representatives on Whitefriars Board, have also been invited to attend the meeting.

The Scrutiny Board received presentations from the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and representatives from Whitefriars Housing Group and Stonewater Housing Associations on Housing Supply and Delivery in Coventry. Midland Heart Housing Association had also submitted a written submission about their work in Coventry, which was also considered by the Scrutiny Board.

The presentations covered the following topics:-

  • Housing completion rates 2011-2017

  • Housing land supply

  • Affordable housing

  • Whitefriars Housing Group – Delivery and development plans for

    Coventry

  • Stonewater – Working with Coventry City Council and Future Growth

The Scrutiny Board questioned officers and attendees on aspects of the presentations, including:-

  • The use of new innovations and materials in the building of new

  houses, particularly in light of the national shortage of bricks and gaps in

  the skills market

• Bringing family homes back into use by building more purpose built student accommodation

  • Housing schemes to encourage more City Centre living

  • Liaison between the City Council and Housing Associations with a view

  to a more co-ordinated approach to the delivery of new homes

  • The impact that changes to benefit rules have had on the housing

  market and measures undertaken by Housing Associations to alleviate

  fuel poverty

  • The ratio of affordable/social housing being delivered as part of major

  development schemes

  • New ways of funding housing development

On behalf of the Scrutiny Board, the Chair, Councillor N Akhtar, thanked the Housing Associations’ representatives for their attendance and contribution to the meeting.

RESOLVED:-

(1)  That the Cabinet Member for Community Development be informed of the Scrutiny Board’s support for the proposed establishment of a Housing Association Liaison Forum.

(2)  That the Cabinet Member for Community Development be recommended to continue to investigate innovative ways of funding future housing development in partnership with the local Housing Associations   

All outstanding issues are detailed in the Work Programme

The Scrutiny Board noted that all outstanding issues were dealt with in the Scrutiny Board’s Work Programme.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Scrutiny Board considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which detailed the Board’s Work Programme for 2017/18.

RESOLVED that the following items be added to the Work Programme:-

  • Public Toilets – March 2018

  • Unauthorised encampments – March/April 2018

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of urgent public business.