Agenda item

Committee considered a report which provided the Quarter 4 outturns (January to March 2020) for the Corporate Plan 2019/20, which sat under the ‘unlocking our growth potential’ aim as at 31^st March 2020.

There were 7 targets in total of which 4 had been achieved – G01, G08, G13 & G17.  1 target had been achieved previously – G05. 1 target had failed – G11 and 1 target was awaiting information G10.

With regard to 4 of the performance targets, queries had been raised at the Scrutiny pre meeting by the Chair and Vice Chair and responses to those queries had been circulated to Members as follows;

G 10 – Enable the development of at least 272 new residential properties within the district by March 2020. 

Is there a confirmed date when this will be available? Can we assume a similar target is included under the new framework? 

Officer response;

The annual housing target was taken from the Local Plan.  There would be an annual target and this would be taken from the local plan for the lifetime of the new plan.  The annual completion figure was collated by the planning department but they have to visit the sites to make the count and they have not been able to do this. 

Housing delivery in the District is reviewed annually and facilitate delivery to meet the annual target of 272 new homes.

G 11 – Through a programme of targeted refurbishment bring 10 empty private sector properties back into use per annum.

Members appreciate the work that is being done in this area.  What does the target/action for this service area look like under the new Ambitions?

Officer response;

Prepare and adopt a new Empty Property Strategy by January 2021 to support the Council’s vision to bring empty properties back into use.

Bring 5 empty properties back into use per year through assistance and enforcement measures.

G 13 - Work with partners to deliver an average of 20 units of affordable homes each year.

Is it possible to get a summary of where the 28 units are?  Are they Dragonfly developments or via another means?       

Officer response;

G 17 - Procure new partner for building next generation of council housing by March 2020.

Could we get clarification on why there has been a change in terminology from B@Home to Bolsover Homes?  This is confusing given that we will be working with the same partner.  Does the change not hinder our brand/programme identity?

Officer response;

Bolsover Homes was agreed and designed because B@home wasn’t recognised as a council house building programme.  Although corporate colours had been utilised there was no clear link with the Authority.  The new logo encompasses the Bolsover District Council logo and it is much easier to identify that this is a council building programme recognising the positive steps to develop high quality council housing by the authority.  This will be a positive image for this major investment.

A Member felt that the target set at 5 for G11 for 2021-2024, which had been halved from the previous target of 10 was predetermining the Council’s Empty Property Strategy 2021-2024, to be discussed by Committee later on the agenda.  The Joint Housing Strategy & Growth Manager replied that the target had been reduced to 5 because the previous target of 10 had been consistently missed.  The previous target had been challenging in that if an empty property such as a former pub had been converted into 11 apartments, this had only been classed as 1 property.  However, if Members felt that the target of 5 was too low, then this could be increased.  He added that there were other aspects to the Empty Property Strategy other than the 5 property target.

In response to a Member’s query, the Joint Housing Strategy & Growth Manager advised the meeting that the Covid 19 pandemic had caused a delay to delivery of units and one site had stopped.  Eon had also furloughed most of their staff and this had added to delays.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Derek Adams

RESOLVED that the report be noted.