Issue - meetings

To consider a Member panel’s recommendation for the selection of a Registered Provider to deliver affordable housing on the Hewell Road swimming baths site.

(Report attached)

Members received a report which set out the recommendation for the selection of a Registered Provider from the Council’s Preferred Partner list to deliver affordable housing on the Hewell Road swimming baths site.

It was noted that the Panel had reached a consensus based on the scoring matrix employed for the process and Redditch Co-op Homes had been recommended as the preferred partner to develop the site. It was suggested that, in future, the Council might be more prescriptive in detailing the numbers and types of properties it desired on a development site but Officers were of the opinion that, beyond advising of the primary housing need at the time of selection, it would be difficult to stipulate at the outset what was to be built as subsequent surveys might dictate that certain developments were unsuitable.

The loss of the play area was commented upon but Officers confirmed that Ward Members and Officers had consulted with the local community and had determined that the play area on site was poorly used and a focus for anti-social behaviour.

RESOLVED that

1)        Redditch Co-op Homes be selected as the preferred partner to deliver affordable housing on the Hewell Road swimming baths site; and

2)        authority be delegated to the Head of Finance and Resources and the Housing Strategy Manager to complete the transfer of the site to Redditch Co-op Homes subject to planning permission being obtained.

(During consideration of this item, Councillor Bill Hartnett declared an other disclosable interest as a Member of the Board of Redditch Co-operative Homes, appointed by the Council, and vacated the Chair and the Chamber for the duration of this item. The Vice-Chair, Councillor Chance, assumed the Chair in Councillor Hartnett’s absence.)