Issue - meetings

COUNCIL RESOLVED  -

(i)

That the establishment of a new formal advisory committee, to be called the Strategic Housing Board, which will advise the Council or Cabinet on any matter relating to the discharge of their respective housing functions be approved.

(ii)

That the membership of the Strategic Housing Board comprising of 15 elected members, plus the respective Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Community Safety Partnership, 3 tenant representatives and 3 partner representatives be approved.

(iii)

That a change in title of the Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee be approved.

(iv)

That a change in the scope of responsibility of the Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee particularly to enable the inclusion of tenant observers and their scrutiny of services and buildings compliance be approved.

Consideration has been given to the proposed arrangements for the governance of the Council’s housing functions and responsibilities from the 1^st April 2021.

The alternative option to those being recommended, but which was discounted, was to limit involvement in decision making to the Cabinet exclusively through the current executive and overview and scrutiny model.

RESOLVED -

(i)

That the Council be recommended to approve the establishment of a new formal advisory committee, to be called the Strategic Housing Board, which will advise the Council or Cabinet on any matter relating to the discharge of their respective housing functions.

(ii)

That the Council be recommended to approve a membership of the Strategic Housing Board comprising of 15 elected members, plus the respective Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Community Safety Partnership, 3 tenant representatives and 3 partner representatives.

(iii)

That the Council be recommended to approve a change in the title of the Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(iv)

That the Council be recommended to approve a change in the scope of responsibility of the Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee particularly to enable the inclusion of tenant observers and their scrutiny of services and buildings compliance.

(v)

That the establishment of a new informal Housing Providers Partnership, and a new Private Landlords Forum, to enable the effective engagement and involvement of key stakeholders and partners be approved.

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

(A)

To ensure the effective governance and democratic accountability of key strategic and operational housing functions, services and priorities for the Council. 

(B)

To ensure compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing’s requirements for tenant involvement and engagement.

(C)

To enable the engagement of key stakeholders and partners in wider housing strategy and policy discussion.