Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Development.

The Chairman thanked the Housing Directions Manager, Marie Roe who was in attendance to give an update to Members in relation to the Housing Stock Transfer Project (for copy see file of minutes).

The Housing Directions Manager noted that the date for completion of the transfer of the stock to the new County Durham Housing Group (CDHG) was 23 March 2015, prior to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) deadline of 31 March 2015, which would allow the new Group to access the financial support it requires.

The Committee noted the current position as regards the transfer and also progress with key pieces of work including: conversion of the Council’s existing housing management organisations into Community Benefit Societies; registration with the Financial Conduct Authority; registration of the member organisations of the CDHG as “intending Registered Providers” with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA); and the appointment of an Executive Management Team for the CDHG.  Members learned that the preferred funding partner for the Group had been identified and a Funding Agreement had been developed.  Councillors were reminded that Cabinet had agreed for final consent to be sought from the DCLG, to allow the transfer to take place and the application had been made to the Secretary of State on 18 February 2015 with a response expected the week before the transfer date.

Members understood that Cabinet had agreed the approach to the transfer of land and assets and that the Council were to provide warranties to the Group and its funders.  It was noted that a suite of Service Level Agreements (SLA) had been developed which set out which services the Council would continue to provide for an agreed period following transfer.  The Housing Directions Manager added that those staff that would transfer to the new Housing Group had been identified and they would be the subject to the provisions of TUPE, also the new Housing Group would be able to access the Local Government Pension Scheme. 

The Chairman thanked the Housing Directions Manager and asked Members for their questions on the report.

Members congratulated the Housing Directions Manager and her Team on all the excellent work undertaken and asked questions relating to: the ongoing land mapping exercise; ensuring any suitable identified land was developed timely to meet our housing aspirations; and whether there had been, or would be, consultation on the future use of any large amounts of open space land that would be transferred to the new Housing Group.

The Housing Directions Manager explained that the ongoing mapping exercise was to clear up any anomalies, for example, where a property had been sold under Right to Buy along with an adjoining parcel of land, or with a garage.  It was explained that one of the reasons behind the transfer of the housing stock was to be able to develop additional housing, 760 in the first 7 years, and areas to be developed would be looked at in terms of viability and demand, and in line with the land transfer as agreed by Cabinet and the relevant strategies. 

It was suggested by Members that the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive, at a future meeting, details of the consultation process to be used by the new Housing Group in relation to future development.

Resolved:

(i)     That the report be noted.

(ii)   That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive, at a future meeting, details of the consultation process to be used by the new Housing        Group in relation to future housing development.