Issue - meetings

To formally seek Executive approval, for the final draft of the Housing Asset Management Strategy (HAMS), at Annexe One, to be presented to Council for adoption.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Executive, after considering comments from the Landlord Services Advisory Board, makes the following recommendations to Council:

i.      to approve the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2022 to 2030 for adoption, and

ii.    to note that the Landlords Services Advisory Board undertake to monitor the implementation and performance of the strategy.

RESOLVED

     i.        That the comments from the Landlord Services Advisory Board be noted and that the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2022 to 2030 be approved and recommended to the Council for adoption; and

    ii.        That it be noted that the Landlords Services Advisory Board have undertaken to monitor the implementation and performance of the strategy.

Reason: To provide Executive members the opportunity to support the adoption of the strategy. 

[This matter is recommended to Council for decision and is not subject to the call-in procedure.]

Councillor Paul Rivers presented the report which set out the final draft of the Housing Asset Management Strategy (HAMS) to be presented to Council for adoption.  The Landlord Services Advisory Board had considered the Strategy and had supported the principle of making homes more energy efficient; and had recommended that an Executive Summary be included and this had been drafted.

Councillor Hyman spoke on the report, expressing concern over the cost of replacing gas boilers and that the costs were not passed on to tenants.  He also sought clarification on the timing of the stock condition survey.

The Leader responded to Councillor Hyman’s comments and clarified that there was a commitment to assessing the current position with housing stock and making improvements to reduce energy bills for tenants.  He welcomed that the report would begin to explore the cost of decarbonisation and encourage the Government to address the gap in their own funding for decarbonisation policies.

The Head of Housing Operations advised that regular stock condition surveys had been carried out for a number of years, however this had been put on hold during the pandemic.  Although they had now resumed, the programme was 2.5 years behind schedule.

The Strategic Director (s151 officer) advised that the HRA Strategic Review would be informed by this report and would be brought to Councillors in the Autumn for consideration.

The Leader thanked the Portfolio Holder, Landlord Services Advisory Board and officers for their work.

RESOLVED

     i.        That the comments from the Landlord Services Advisory Board be noted and that the Housing Asset Management Strategy 2022 to 2030 be approved and recommended to the Council for adoption; and

    ii.        That it be noted that the Landlords Services Advisory Board have undertaken to monitor the implementation and performance of the strategy.

Reason: To provide Executive members the opportunity to support the adoption of the strategy.