Agenda item

     Report by Executive Director Alistair Cunningham OBE.

Cllr Richard Clewer presented a report seeking approval to allow the delivery of the Council House Build Programme 2 in line with the approval to spend £9.48m to deliver 49 units, but with the opportunity to substitute sites where further investigation has deemed sites not viable. In addition, to utilise other opportunities such as purchasing s106 units and re-purchasing Right To Build properties to ensure best value and maximising opportunities for the Council.

Cllr Clewer explained a number of sites, previously agreed by Cabinet, are now considered not viable due to the nature of the sites and further ground investigation works.  A number of reserve sites have been identified to enable the Council House Build Programme to deliver the programme offering the much-needed Affordable Housing for Wiltshire.  Cllr Clewer indicated that Cabinet would consider a report on Phase 3 of the Build Programme later in 2019.

The Cabinet noted that the Environment Select Committee Chairman had received an informal briefing on this matter and had raised questions about the financial viability and the purchasing of Section 106 units.  The Chairman of the Select Committee was satisfied with the responses provided.

Resolved:

1.    To agree to remove 4 schemes from Council House Build Programme 2 as no longer viable as stated in Appendix 1 of the report

2.    To agree to include 2 reserve/substitute sites within the programme as stated in Appendix 2 of the report

3.    To agree to the purchase of 116 Carmelite Way (Re-Purchase RTB)

4.    To agree to delegate to the Director of Housing and Commercial Development in consultation with the Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Housing, Heritage, Arts, Tourism and Environment authority to purchase an additional property to be part funded by right to buy receipts outstanding at quarter 2 2019/20.

5.    To agree to make an offer for 5 units at Porton replacing 5 units from the existing Council House Build Programme as stated in Appendix 3 of the report

6.    To agree to delegate to Director of Housing and Commercial Development, authority to enter into contract for the purchase of 5 units at Porton.

7.    To agree to delegate to the Director of Housing and Commercial Development, authority to seek planning permission for sites within Council House Build Programme 2 and enter into contracts for Professional Services and Construction.

8.    To agree that if individual schemes prove not to be viable the substitution of schemes within the overall programme budget is delegated to the Director of Housing and Commercial Development and Director of Finance and Procurement in consultation with the Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Housing, Heritage, Arts, Tourism and Environment.

9.    To delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Commercial Development in liaison with the cabinet member for Corporate services, Housing, Heritage, Arts, Tourism and Environment and the Director Finance and Procurement to substitute and change funding streams to optimise financing of the programme. HRA borrowing will not exceed £7.5m but other funding streams may be increased or decreased as required providing that they stay within available allocation and do not affect the total budget position.

Reason for Decision:

The Council has c.£9.48m capital funding set aside within the Council’s capital budget for investment in affordable housing. The existing approval to deliver 49 units within this budget does not allow for flexibility within the £9.48m, allowing for sites and finance to be substituted where sites are not viable, nor does it allow for Contracts to be entered for the construction and professional services required to deliver this programme. This paper seeks that the ability to make the necessary changes within the parameters of the agreed budget with delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Commercial Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing.