Issue - meetings

Having considered an open and a confidential officer report, and a

presentation by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Paul Bell, the

Mayor and Cabinet agreed that:

(1) the Equality Analysis Assessment attached as Appendix B be received;

(2) the text of the Achilles Landlord Offer attached as Appendix A, should form

the Council’s offer to residents on the Achilles Street Estate;

(3) a resident ballot for estate regeneration should be held on the Achilles

Street Estate as set out in section 6;

(4) authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration

& Environment to agree any minor amendments and the graphic design of the

Landlord Offer and to set the date of the resident ballot for estate regeneration

on the Achilles Street Estate;

(5) subject to the resident ballot for estate regeneration resulting in a “yes”

vote agrees the budgets requirements set out in the confidential report be

approved.

The Cabinet accepted this report as a late and urgent item having been told

the report was late owing to the need to finalise the proposed Landlord Offer

and to ensure that Mayor & Cabinet were provided with the most up to date

information possible. The report was deemed urgent and could not wait until

the next meeting of the Mayor & Cabinet meeting as this would cause

significant delay to the publishing of the Landlord Offer which in turn would

delay the holding of a resident ballot for estate regeneration.

The application was presented by Councillor Paul Bell who gave a

comprehensive explanation of the offer to tenants and leaseholders which

would be the subject of a ballot. He was supported by Housing Officers who

explained the detailed engagement process which had been undertaken with

residents.

The Cabinet was then addressed by local resident Martin Williams who

claimed the proposals would do little to add to the net housing stock. He

disputed claims made about rental levels and affordability saying the officer

report showed aspirations but lacked detail. He believed residents were not

able to make an informed choice.

Councillor Bell disputed any claim that the proposals were intended to benefit

the private sector, explaining a private element was required to make the

proposals economically viable and provide much needed social and council

housing.

The Mayor concluded by pointing out the provision of additional social and

council housing had been a key election pledge in a borough where 10,000

were on the housing waiting list. In terms of safeguards for residents, he

pointed out there would be a ballot and then a full planning process. He

warmly welcomed the proposals.

Having considered an open and a confidential officer report, and a

presentation by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Paul Bell, the

Mayor and Cabinet, for the reasons set out in the report and by a vote of 9-0:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Equality Analysis Assessment attached as Appendix B be received;

(2) the text of the Achilles Landlord Offer attached as Appendix A, should form

the Council’s offer to residents on the Achilles Street Estate;

(3) a resident ballot for estate regeneration should be held on the Achilles

Street Estate as set out in section 6;

(4) authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration

& Environment to agree any minor amendments and the graphic design of the

Landlord Offer and to set the date of the resident ballot for estate regeneration

on the Achilles Street Estate;

(5) subject to the resident ballot for estate regeneration resulting in a “yes”

vote agrees the budgets requirements set out in the confidential report be

approved.