Issue - meetings

Questions from Members

Meeting: 14/04/2021 - Council (Item 787)

787 Questions from Members pdf icon PDF 6 KB

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9, to allow Members to ask questions about Council activities.  A question may only be asked if notice of seven clear working days has been given.

 

Question submitted by Councillor Peter Roberts to Councillor Sandra Peake

 

Minutes:

Question submitted to Councillor Sandra Peake by Councillor Peter Roberts;

 

In paragraph 5.1.3 of the report on Bolsover Homes Funding to Council on 22nd July 2020, it states that there is a risk of the right to buy applying to the new properties built. It also states that the cost floor ceiling would result in these properties being protected for 15 years. However officers maintain that the protection is only for 3 years. Can Councillor Peake explain the discrepancy?

 

Response from Councillor Peake

 

“As you know, anyone who has been in a Council property or Housing Association property, cannot have the right to buy until after 3 years.  After that 3 years, everyone has the right to buy whether its new build or old build.  The 15 year rule is that if a property is sold within that 15 years, for example, if a house cost £120k to build and after 5 years the value had gone up to £140k and tenants had accrued that discount, they would only get that discount up to the £120k – plus any maintenance of the building.  So that’s where that 15 year rule comes in to protect the Council and it’s about finance as well as we get rent income as well.  If you look on Right to Buy on Gov.uk, it states the Council cannot sell the property for any less than it costs to build and maintain for the first 15 years”.

 

Councillor Roberts confirmed he had no supplementary question.