The Assistant Director – Environmental Services will provide a presentation updating Members on progress made against the action plans arising from the Housing Strategy.

The Committee considered a presentation from the Assistant Director – Environment giving a update on work in relation the Council’s Housing Strategy.

Mr Ball indicated that the Housing Strategy formed part of the Council’s 2020 pledges and its aim was to provide good quality housing which met the needs of Wirral’s residents.

Wirral’s Housing Objectives were to build more homes to meet economic growth ambitions; improve the quality of Wirral’s housing offer and meet the needs of the boroughs most vulnerable people to enable them to live independently.

Mr Ball highlighted the priorities to be delivered by 2020, which included delivery of at least 3,500 new homes; improve private sector homes; bring back into use 1,250 empty homes; deliver 300 new extra care units; prevent homelessness and ensured that 70% of Choice based Letting went to those in housing need priority A-C.

Achievements to date to included; 712 new homes delivered on time; 524 empty homes brought back into use; 698 private sector homes improved; 2290 vulnerable people benefitted from home adaptations;1025 households helped to prevent homelessness and there had been a successful bid from the Liverpool City Region for Starter Homes.

Mr Ball highlighted the challenges faced and opportunities available to the Council.

A copy of the Council’s Housing Strategy was attached to the agenda for information.

In response to a Member’s question, Mr Ball indicated that Wirral Waters provided key economic opportunities with 16,000 residential consents in place; officers would be working with Peel to encourage them to bring forward these developments. He reiterated that not all of Wirral’s housing need would be met by Wirral Waters because it would be largely apartment development.

He indicated that there was a need to build more homes for people in Wirral based on the Strategic Housing Market Assessment and a report would be going to Cabinet on 27 February 2017 about the detail of this.

In response to a Members question regarding the lack of adapted housing for disabled families, Ms Newman, Head of Operational Housing Services indicated that the department worked closely with registered providers and building developers but they tended not to supply adapted houses. Bungalows were not normally included on new developments as they took up too much development space. To assist with this the Government were bring in the “all homes accessible for all” scheme to help with this provision. Ms Newman indicated that within the Housing Strategy, it made reference to the use of smart technology, which could assist disabled families to live in homes independently given that there was not a wide range of accessibly family homes available.

In response to another Member’s question Ms Newman indicated that the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Asylum Seekers Dispersement Plan was a national programme between the Council and the Home Office, working with CIRCO to identify the most appropriate areas to place. Work on this was ongoing and the quota (30 properties) was almost reached with 28 properties identified and secured.

In relation to the Syrian Resettlement Programme, there would be 510 placements over a five year program throughout the LCR with Wirral signing up to 100 placements with re-settlement support given by DWP, GP’s, NHS England and the CCG.

The Adaptation Programme had been reviewed and realigned with the Council’s health and social care priorities in relation to hospital discharges and getting people back to their own homes. There would be a further review in six months to see if this had been effective. A Member asked for a progress report on this to a future meeting.

In relation to the land supply issues for future housing, Mr Ball indicated that the consultation had been undertaken last year on the Strategic Housing Assessment and a report would come to Cabinet on this matter.

It was suggested and agreed that a Spotlight Session would be arranged to look at the strategy and plans going forward.

RESOLVED:

That a Spotlight Session be arranged to look at the strategy and plans going forward.