A report by the Interim Director of Corporate Services sought the Cabinet’s approval and endorsement of Wirral’s Housing Strategy 2011 – 2026, including a strategic housing plan (set out at Appendix 1 to the report) and requested that it recommend the Council to approve the Strategy as part of the authority’s Capital Programme and Policy Framework.

Members were aware that, although the development of a Housing Strategy statement was no longer a statutory requirement, it was important that, locally, the Council set the strategic framework for future housing policy and investment requirements.  The draft Housing Strategy 2011 – 2026, therefore, had been developed to be reflective of this as well as aligning with the Councils’ Sustainable Community Strategy and the outcome of both the Wirral wide consultation  ‘Wirral’s future’ and the specific consultation undertaken as part of the development of the Strategy.

At the Cabinet meeting held on 14 October 2010 the draft Housing Strategy 2011 – 2026 was approved for public consultation (Minute No. 172 refers).  The initial stage of the consultation process, to test the draft strategy and obtain specific views on all of the key issues which inform housing policies and initiatives for the future, commenced on 22 October 2010 and ran for a six week period ending on 10 December 2010.

The consultation process involved a wide range of key stakeholders, members of the public, formal Partnerships and Forums, with initially over 340 stakeholders formally contacted directly to ask for their views.  The Strategy and a short questionnaire requesting views and comments on the vision, the key issues identified and any issues that people felt needed to be included in the strategy had also made available on the Council’s website for completion.  With the help of staff in the Council’s One Stop Shops and Libraries, members of the public had been able to complete the questionnaire either on line or in paper format, providing key feedback detailing their views and comments on the Strategy and the issues identified.

Over the six week consultation process, 1,369 responses had been received, which provided a significant amount of feedback for consideration when developing the strategy further.  Significantly, 94% (out of the 1263 respondents) answered that they strongly agreed/agreed with the overall long term vision for housing.  There had also been a significant majority of respondents who had agreed that the seven key issues and priorities identified in the strategy were either very important or important.

Officers in the Housing Strategy Team had subsequently collated and reviewed all of the responses received and had adapted and developed the Strategy further to incorporate and respond to the issues the consultation process has raised.

A report had been presented to Economy and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 14 March 2011, following its request at its meeting on 24 November 2010 for a further report on the outcome of the consultation and draft Housing Strategy (Minute No. 65 refers).

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  Wirral’s Housing Strategy Statement 2011 – 2026,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45