Agenda item

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing will be in attendance to provide the Panel with an overview on the Council’s Role in Housing. 

The Corporate Director of Regeneration was in attendance to provide the Place Scrutiny Panel with an overview of the Council’s Role in Housing.

The panel were advised that the Council was a diverse organisation with housing cutting across several departments although there was no specific housing department.  Members were advised that there had been a recent appointment to the role of Head of Strategic Housing which sat within the Regeneration Directorate. 

Members heard that the Head of Strategic Housing would oversee a strategic framework to guide housing issues.  The Councils Strategic Plan sat at the top of the Housing Strategic Framework along with the Local Plan detailing types of housing and where housing was needed. Members were advised that were other strategies to cover all elements of housing including the Strategic Housing Needs Assessment and Supported Housing Strategy.

The Corporate Director of Regeneration advised Members that the Regeneration department did not cover physical development.

The Panel were informed that the Council owned a small amount of housing stock which had accumulated over the years, this included Newbridge Court, a block of apartments which had been handed over from Middlesbrough Development Company.

The Council was also responsible for managing standards within private rented sector through Landlord Licensing and the Renters Reform Act which sits within the Public Protection Department.

Adult Social Care oversees Homelessness and supporting clients with specific needs, the Head of Strategic Housing dealt with the supply and Children and Adult Social Care the demands for this service.  Both directorates worked together on the Housing Demand Plan to set out what properties were needed to support residents.

A Member queried what powers the Council had in respect of empty properties.  The Corporate Director of Regeneration advised that Councils had little to no power other than to raise the Council Tax premium.  Debates took place every year about whether the premium should be increased but this in turn could increase the Council’s uncollected debt as the landlords in question were not paying.  Members were advised that when Anti-Social Behavior and environmental hazards started becoming an issue this was when the Council had more powers to enforce.

A Member stated that 1.5 million new homes were to be built as part of the Governments initiative. The Member asked how space and local demand would be determined it was advised that the Local Plan outlined the vision for housing development in Middlesbrough.

A Member raised the issue of homelessness in Middlesbrough particularly people living in tents which had gained recent media interest and what was the council doing to house people with addictions and ensuring they had access to appropriate services.   It was advised that housing people with addictions would fall under Adult Social Cares remit to ensure they had the support that was needed.  The Member requested that this be investigated further.

A Member asked for confirmation around what a Section 106 agreement was.  It was advised that a Section 106 agreement was a legally binding contract between a developer and the Council to ensure appropriate infrastructure and services were in place for new developments. A Section 106 Agreement was a requirement for the developer to provide money to build or implement services.

A Member highlighted that when a developer begins building the Council needed to strategically plan and enforce everything that was needed to support the people moving into the new developments.

Members requested to investigate Section 106 Agreements further.

A discussion took place on town centre living and the need to have the right type of housing and facilities in place.  The Panel requested to investigate this further.

The Chair thanked the Corporate Director of Regeneration for his attendance.

The Panel agreed to:

Further investigate –

•         Homelessness

•         Section 106 Agreements

•         Town Centre Living