Agenda item

The Committee received a report presented by the Executive Board Member for Housing on the Carmarthenshire Homes Standards Plus (CHS+) Business Plan 2021-24, the purpose of which was fourfold. Firstly, it explained the vision and detail of the CHS+ over the next three years and what it meant for tenants. Secondly, it confirmed the financial profile, based on current assumptions for delivery of the CHS+ over the next three years. Thirdly, it showed how the housing investment programme could help stimulate the local economy and recovery from Covid 19. Fourthly, it produced a business plan for the annual application to the Welsh Government for Major Repairs Allowance (MRA) for 2020/21 equating to £6.1m.

The report highlighted the importance of the Council supporting its tenants and residents in everything it did, with the following four key themes having been identified as driving the business for the next three years:-

-        Theme 1 – Supporting Tenants and Residents;

-        Theme 2 – Investing in our Homes’ and the Environment

-        Theme 3 - Providing more homes;

-        Theme 4 – Foundational Economy, Community Benefits and Procurement

The Following questions/issues were raised on the report:

·       The Executive Board Member in response to a question on void levels within the authority’s 9,200 homes, advised there were approximately 340 voids at present. Those properties required differing levels of work and efforts were being undertaken to reduce the total voids as quickly as possible. However, the covid pandemic had impacted on the speed and timescale for those works, especially during the initial 3 month period of the pandemic when contractors were unable to work on site.

·       With regard to a question on the impact of the pandemic on the council’s house building programme, the Executive Board Member confirmed that, as with the voids, delays had been encountered initially from contractors not being able to attend on site and subsequently from delays in the supply of building materials following the easing of the lockdown. Works were now progressing, however, and it was hoped the programme would return to schedule in the near future.

·       The Executive Board Member confirmed the Council’s House Building programme aimed to address the shortage of housing in both rural and urban areas and work was currently ongoing on the development of a further 21 sites throughout the county.

·       In response to a question on homelessness levels with the County, the Executive Board Member advised that in March 2020 the Welsh Government had placed a duty on all Welsh Local Housing Authorities to house the homeless, including the single homeless. While homeless levels were increasing, 117 people had currently presented themselves to the Council as homeless, 100 of whom were single persons, and the Council was working with them to address their housing requirements, which included providing advice and guidance on managing a successful tenancy

She further commented on the increase in single homelessness within the County which had highlighted a shortfall in accommodation provision for single persons within the Council’s housing stock, and advised that would be taken into consideration as part of the Council’s future house building proposals.

·       In response to a question on the creation of a 10 year Affordable Housing and Regeneration Masterplan, the Committee was advised that whilst their launch had initially been planned for March 2020, that had been delayed due to the Covid pandemic. Work was now progressing on their re-launch in the near future

RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO THE EXECUTIVE BOARD/COUNCIL TO:-