Agenda item

To consider the following Questions for the Leader, which have been submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.2:

1)         “Mercian Regiment”

(Councillor Roger Bennett)

2)         “Types of housing built on Council land”

(Councillor Brandon Clayton)

(Questions attached)

(a)  Mercian Regiment

Councillor Roger Bennett asked the following question of the Leader:

“In March 2009 Redditch Borough Council gave the freedom of the Borough to the Mercian Regiment. Since that time the 2nd Mercian Regiment which recruits from Worcestershire, have continued to serve all over the world including Afghanistan.

Following the Forces Day Parade recently held in Redditch there is a growing desire by residents to show their appreciation for those in the Armed Forces who protect and serve us.

Would he agree with me that we should allow our residents the opportunity to show their appreciation for our brave servicemen and women who are representing our town, by making a commitment and invite them to parade through the town at their earliest convenience?”

The Leader replied as follows:

He reported that he had contacted the Mercian Regiment so that they were aware the question was being put to this meeting.  Their response had been favourable although the Regiment was unlikely to be able to respond to a request to march until later in the summer.

“Members will know that the Mercian Regiment already have Freedom of the Borough and as a result the ability to march through the town as and when appropriate.

We are conscious that they are very busy at present on active duties but have been able to make contact with them to reaffirm our commitment to supporting a march as and when the time is right.

Obviously there are costs associated with a march and it is important that we factor these into our budgets – particularly now when finances are scarce.  Officers have estimated that the costs will be between approx. £2,250 to £2,750 and how they would be met would depend on the time of year the march was held.  If it was in 2014-15 the Council may be able to provide for it within budgets, otherwise it may be met from Reserves. 

On that note we now wait to hear from the Regiment in respect of timescales.  It might be worth noting however that Bromsgrove have been waiting for over a year due to the commitments of the Regiment so it may be a little while yet.

On another note I would like to advise Council that I am currently in discussions and working with the 37^th Signal Regiment to learn more about their role and the work that they do here in Redditch. Alan Mason will acknowledge the support they gave him during his mayoral year last year.

As members will know the Regiment is based in Redditch and a great number of our residents are associated with their activities.

They have invited all members of Council to visit their Headquarters to familiarise ourselves with their work and the support that they give to our armed forces with the view to considering a Council Motion to grant them the Freedom of the Borough.

I hope that members join with me in supporting this proposal and commit to attending the HQ on a date to be arranged. 

The Regiment are very keen for us to attend and I think it would bring the work that they do in the Borough and the Council closer together”

(b)  Councillor Brandon Clayton put the following question to the Leader:

“Following the decision to give away our land at the Hewell Road site to a social landlord for free, who then decided what type of housing was to be

built.

Can the Leader of the Council tell us:

A) Does Redditch Borough Council have any influence over the type of housing to be built on our land in the future;

B) Does the leader acknowledge that Redditch has a need for bungalows, particularly as the Council has a 5 year waiting list for residents wanting one;

C) Can he confirm whether there will be any bungalows built for rent on Council land within the next five years?”

The Leader replied as follows:

“Can I start by stating that I took no part in either the selection process or the formal consideration and decision at Executive in respect of the land and future build at Hewell Road.

During the research to enable a full response to your question, I am advised you were a member of the selection panel, all of whom agreed the recommendations considered by Executive.

I am aware the issue was raised during the panel of the type of properties the Council would wish to see built on the land, however not specifically in respect of bungalows.

As considered by Executive, none of the submissions offered by Registered providers offered a capital receipt of more than £1.

The panel, of which you were a member, all agreed without exception that the process had been a fair process.

A – No final decisions have yet been made as to the type of housing to be built at the Hewell Road site and Strategic Housing officers will work with the partner to agree viable delivery on the site. In the event that the provider cannot provide a scheme that meets housing need in Redditch, the Council would not continue with them on this project. More broadly, Redditch Borough Council is able to influence the type of housing built on Council-owned land in the future in a number of ways:

1.    The Council uses the outcomes of the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) to help inform provision of affordable housing in the borough.

2.    The Council is able to use the planning system to inform the type of housing provided – discussions and negotiations about numbers and type would normally take place during the course of a detailed planning application, with Strategic Housing officers.

3.    The Council is able to influence the type of housing built through analysis of on-going customer demand. The housing register is traditionally used as a way of analysing housing need in the Borough, but there are a number of other factors that may influence supply and demand. For example, the welfare reform agenda has created a need to focus on supplying a greater number of smaller properties, to enable households affected by under-occupancy to downsize. The Council analyses these factors in their entirety in order to reach decisions about meeting housing provision locally.

4.    The Council needs to be mindful of site viability in all of its work influencing housing type.

B – There are 710 bungalows owned by the Council within its own stock – this equates to nearly 12% of the overall stock. On the housing waiting list, there are nearly 700 households requesting bungalows or other suitable property. Waiting times for a bungalow are dependant upon a number of factors, including current housing need, area of preference and size requirements, so averaging out waiting times does not provide a meaningful picture for customers hoping to secure a bungalow in the future. However, it may be worth noting, that, of those housed between January 2012 and January 2013, no household in Gold or Priority Band (high housing need) waited for longer than 13 months for any type of property.

C – Whilst building bungalows is always on the agenda during planning application discussions, the Council is not in a position to make cast iron guarantees about the number of bungalows to be delivered in Redditch on Council-owned land in the future. The Council recognises that there is a general need for these types of properties, but they are ‘land-hungry’, and costly to develop, and both these issues present a challenge when development opportunities are at a premium in the Borough.  So, whilst bungalow provision may play a part in the future type of housing delivered in the Borough, focus will need to be on all property types in the current housing market conditions”.