Agenda item

[NOTES: 

·      Councillor H.A.L. Evans, having earlier declared an interest in this item, was not present during the consideration and determination thereof.

·      Councillors J.D. James and E. Skinner, having declared an interest in this item, remained in the meeting during the consideration and determination thereof.]

Council was informed that the Cabinet, at its meeting held on the 15^th January 2024 [minute 8 thereof refers], had considered the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2024-27 Carmarthenshire’s Housing Investment Programme which explained the vision and detail of the Council’s Housing Investment Programme over the next three years and comprised housing stock improvement plans, the new build programme and provision of more affordable homes, together with the development of new standards to meet the Authority’s net zero carbon principles.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes summarised the five key themes set out within the business plan and provided an overview of the priorities which would define the Authority’s direction of travel over the next three years, as follows:

·       Provision of a new estate and tenancy management offer to ensure housing officers are more visible and accessible on the Authority’s estates. The offer would also seek to balance support for Council tenants with enforcement activity where appropriate. This would also be aligned to the implementation of a new pilot “handyperson” scheme on priority estates;

·       Continue to keep the number of void properties at a low level and reduce the current backlog of day-to-day repairs with an enhanced in-house provision around day-to-day repairs and re-balance the current split between internal and external contractors;

·       Continue to invest in making sure homes are cheaper to run for Council tenants with long-term aims to decarbonise homes;

·       Acquisition of more land in the areas of greatest need, including larger sites with exclusive use for Council housing to meet the unprecedented need for homes;

·       Further investment in specialist type housing (e.g. learning disability, older people and young person supported housing) to ensure needs are met in the most appropriate way. This investment would also ensure a move away from expensive and inappropriate out of county placements for certain client groups; and

·       Procurement of a new minor works framework for day-to-day repairs and wider improvement projects to ensure a quicker response and to support smaller local contractors across the County.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes highlighted that income received from tenants’ rents and other funding sources over the next three years would enable the Authority to develop a capital programme exceeding £110m which would have a positively impact upon current and future tenants and endeavour. In closing, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes extended her gratitude to those who had contributed to the development of the comprehensive and ambitious plan or the Authority.

In response to a query in respect of the Council’s policy on damp and mould policy, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes referred Members’ attention to the Housing Standards Compliance Policy set out at Appendix F to the report and Theme 2 of the Housing Investment Programme, which comprised seven key areas of work, and included the Council’s intended actions to minimise exposure to dampness and mould.  It was further noted that tenants also had a responsibility to inform the Council of such issues.

Reference was made to the new estate and tenancy management offer whereby a request was made for a proactive approach to be taken by officers to work with Members in a partnership approach to improve living conditions for tenants.

It was commented that the Authority’s endeavours to tackle the housing crisis with significant investment during times of austerity and budget constraints was to be commended.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes, in response to concerns raised regarding homes with living conditions deemed unacceptable due to severe cases of mould, stated that queries could be directed to her for further investigation.

Following a query, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes provided an assurance that remedial work in respect of the removal of cavity wall insulation was undertaken by the Council, as required.

RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Cabinet be adopted: