Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet

1.    Notes that since January 2018 the Council has completed 484 homes for rent and shared ownership.

2.    Notes that, of these, 83 were “strategic acquisitions” of new homes from developers as part of Section 106 planning agreements, and none were acquisitions of homes available on the open market.

3.    Approves the Housing Acquisitions Policy at Appendix 1 to increase the number of housing acquisitions.

4.    Delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to acquire up to 100 homes by 31 March 2026, in line with the Housing Acquisitions Policy and subject to available budget. This is in addition to any acquisitions already approved by Cabinet. 

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval for the new Housing Acquisitions Policy which was attached at Appendix 1. The objectives and principles were set out along with how acquisitions would be identified and prioritised and how newly acquired homes would meet local housing needs.

The report also sought Cabinet approval for a delegation to the Assistant Director of Housing, which would allow the Council to acquire up to an additional 100 homes as part of the Housing Delivery Programme. This was in addition to the strategic acquisition opportunities approved in previous Cabinet reports.

Between 1 January 2018 and 31 May 2023, the Council had completed 366 homes for rent and 118 homes for shared ownership. The Council had also built 125 new homes for market sale. Delivery so far had been via a Council build programme, conversions of existing Council stock, and “strategic acquisitions” of new build homes from developers as part of Section 106 planning agreements. 83 homes had been secured through strategic acquisitions and further forthcoming strategic acquisitions were identified in the Housing Development Report to Cabinet on 10 July 2023.

The methods of acquisition of properties were set out in paragraph 2.15 and 2.16 of the report. These included exercising the Right of First Refusal; acquiring Empty Homes; Open Market acquisitions; Disposals from Housing Associations that were offered to the Council; and Ad-Hoc Section 106 acquisitions.

It was recommended that the Policy be approved by Cabinet to help increase the overall number of Council homes available in Rotherham to contribute towards delivering hundreds of new homes.

The loss of Council Houses over the decades and the implication this had had on residents was set out by the Leader. The Assistant Director of Housing explained that the Policy would mainly be used for general needs housing but could be used to respond to children’s and adult social care need were appropriate.

Resolved:-

1.    That Cabinet note that since January 2018, the Council has completed 484 homes for rent and shared ownership.

2.    That Cabinet note that, of the 484 homes, 83 were “strategic acquisition” of new homes from developers as part of Section 106 planning agreements, and none were acquisitions of homes available on the open market.

3.    The Cabinet approve the Housing Acquisitions Policy at Appendix 1 to increase the number of housing acquisitions.

4.    That Cabinet delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, the acquire up to 100 homes by 31 March 2026, in line with the Housing Acquisitions Policy and subject to available budget. This was in addition to any acquisitions already approved by Cabinet.