Agenda item

Report by Service Lead Housing Market Balance (attached).

The Executive considered a report by the Service Lead Housing Market Balance (circulated previously), the options and/or alternatives and other relevant facts set out in the report regarding the allocation of funds from the unallocated balance of the Community Housing Fund earmarked reserve.

The Service Lead Housing Market Balance highlighted the following:

·         Devon Rural Housing Partnership had been working hard to produce a pipeline of communities that were potentially interested in community-led housing schemes for the future.  As part of the initial work with a Parish Council one of the first steps after contact was often to carry out a housing needs survey to make a judgement on the level of affordable housing need in the area and to raise awareness of the issue before work was undertaken.

·         For the last three years “Awards for All” funding had been used by Parish Councils to fund Housing Needs Surveys.  Unfortunately, due to demand the last three bids have been rejected and it had been confirmed that this source would no longer be available to Parish Councils.

·         The Community Housing Fund Board proposed the allocation of the funds from the Community Housing Fund for this purpose.  This was essential to establish a pipeline of parishes interested in community-led housing with a proven need for affordable housing.  It was proposed that £40,000 from the Community Housing Fund earmarked reserve be allocated to the Community Affordable Housing Grant to fund Housing Needs surveys for the Rural Alliance, Chittlehampton, Georgeham, North Molton, Instow and Westleigh. The remaining amount would cover four to five additional housing needs surveys if necessary.

·         The report also recommended that delegated authority be given to the Head of Environmental Health and Housing in consultation with the Executive Members for Health and Wellbeing for the remaining balance of the Community Housing Fund for appropriate revenue or capital items that fit the criteria of the Community Housing Fund that would move forward community-led affordable housing.

In response to questions, the Service Lead Housing Market Balance advised the following:

·         All of the outstanding housing needs surveys were ready to be sent out and the whole process would take approximately 3 months.  Although the 6 housing needs surveys may need to be staggered.

·         The balance of the fund from the Department for Communities and Local Government had been earmarked for sites within the parishes of Mortehoe, Lynton and Lynmouth, Parracombe, Combe Martin and Chittlehampton to aid site viability through purchase of land, abnormals or gap-funding to provide social rents.  This would take place further on in the process and can take time as community-led rural housing sites can be more challenging to develop due to site value, high levels of site abnormals, protected leaseholds and significant viability issues etc.

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REASONS FOR DECISIONS