The Housing Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday 17 September 2024 was set to cover a range of important housing matters, including the extension of a policy on private sector housing renewal, updates on the budget, and new policies regarding electrical and gas safety. Discussions were also planned on aids and adaptations for tenants, the future of council housing, and the establishment of a Housing Oversight Board.

Extension of Private Sector Housing Renewal 2018-23 Policy

The committee was scheduled to consider recommending the adoption of the current Private Sector Housing Renewal Policy 2018-23 for a further six months, until 31 March 2025. This extension was proposed to allow time for the results of a delayed Gloucestershire Private Sector Housing Stock Condition survey to be considered in the development of a new policy. Without an adopted policy, the council would be unable to offer financial assistance such as Disabled Facilities Grants or Healthy Homes Loans for urgent repairs.

Aids and Adaptations Policy

A report was presented to introduce a new Aids and Adaptations Policy, intended to replace the existing 2016 policy. The purpose of this new policy is to ensure tenants are aware of the support available for aids and adaptations, and to clarify the responsibilities of both tenants and Stroud District Council. The policy aims to ensure tenants with disabilities, mobility needs, or health-related challenges can live safely and independently in their homes. Updates to the policy were described as minor, focusing on terminology, work considerations, and updating values for means tests in line with current guidance.

Budget Monitoring Report 2024/25 Quarter 1

The committee was to receive the budget monitoring report for the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year. This report provides a forecast of the outturn position against the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budgets, as well as the Capital Programme. The report indicated an expected overspend of £48,000 on the General Fund revenue budget and an underspend of (£599,000) on the General Fund capital programme. For the HRA, a revenue underspend of (£999,000) was projected, alongside a net capital programme underspend of (£1,502,000).

Depooling of Rents and Service Charges

This report was intended to inform members of the progress of a project to depool rents and service charges, which means separating them. The aim is to provide greater transparency for tenants by clearly showing what they are paying for rent and what they are paying for services. The project also seeks to ensure fairness by allocating charges proportionately and offering tenants more choice about the services they receive. Consultation with tenants on these proposals was requested.

Electrical Safety Policy

A new Electrical Safety Policy was to be presented, replacing the previous one. The purpose of this policy is to clearly outline how Stroud District Council will meet its obligations regarding electrical safety in its housing stock. The policy was drafted considering best practice, current regulatory frameworks, and consumer standards for social housing in England, incorporating recommendations from previous internal audits. A key proposed change was to move from a ten-year electrical testing cycle to a five-year cycle, aligning with industry best practice and anticipating imminent regulatory changes.

Gas Safety Policy

A new Gas Safety Policy was scheduled for discussion. This policy aims to provide a framework for compliance with all aspects of gas safety and compliance within the council's housing stock. As a landlord, Stroud District Council has a statutory responsibility under The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 to ensure all gas installations are safe and that only qualified personnel work on them. The policy seeks to bring clarity to the scope of the policy and provide a framework for maintaining compliance and managing risk.

Local Authority Housing Fund 3

The committee was to be formally informed about a bid for Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 3 funding. Following successful bids for LAHF rounds 1 and 2, which helped acquire 20 properties for the HRA for people fleeing conflict, a further opportunity arose. This round of funding would deliver additional housing for those fleeing conflict and those in need of temporary accommodation. The report requested approval for an additional capital budget of £1.2 million to deliver four temporary accommodation units.

The Future of Council Housing

This report was intended to inform members about emerging financial pressures facing council housing and the collective recommendations being proposed by many council housing providers to the government. The report highlighted that the current financial model for council housing is unsustainable, with a projected £2.2 billion deficit in council housing budgets by 2028. It outlined five key priority actions for the government, including establishing a new fair and sustainable HRA model, reforming Right to Buy policies, removing red tape on funding, ensuring existing homes are good quality, and delivering new and replacement council homes.

Member Responsible for Complaints & Housing Oversight Board

The committee was asked to consider the appointment of a Member Responsible for Complaints as required by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It was proposed that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Housing Committee automatically assume this role on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the creation of a Housing Oversight Board (HOB) was proposed to provide members with a platform to scrutinise housing performance, risk management, and tenant feedback. The HOB would comprise the Chair, Vice-Chair, and two performance monitors from the Housing Committee, meeting before each Housing Committee meeting to review performance and provide a report.

Member / Officer Reports

Several member/officer reports were scheduled:

• Performance Monitoring: An update on the Housing Committee's performance indicators for Quarter 1 of 2024/25 was to be presented.
• Pet Policy Extension: A minor amendment to the existing Pet Policy was proposed, specifically to include XL Bully types on the excluded dog list, in line with government legislation. The policy was also proposed for a two-year extension.
• New Homes & Regeneration Programme Update: This report was to provide an update on the progress of the New Homes & Regeneration Programme, including details on current sites, pipeline opportunities, and funding allocations.
• Work Programme: The committee was to consider the work programme for 2024/25, outlining items scheduled for future meetings.