Decision details

Exempt report of the Executive Director (Housing and Communities) on the progress of this scheme and recommending a revised list of high value areas in the Borough. 

(1)          The Decision Taken

RESOLVED:

(1)           That the Cabinet notes the content of this report on this scheme.

(2)           That the Cabinet agrees that the method of identifying high value homes be carried out via an area approach rather than by a prescribed list as previously agreed and for the reasons set out in the exempt report.

(3)           That the Cabinet agrees the high value areas as set out in Appendix A to the exempt report.

(4)           That delegated authority be given to the Executive Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and Executive Director (Housing and Communities), in consultation with the Executive Member (Planning, Housing and Community) and  Executive Member (Resources), to approve the sale of a vacant property where its valuation met the criteria as previously agreed.

(5)           That the Cabinet notes that if a property became vacant and was considered to have a high value but was not located within one of the areas in Appendix A to the exempt report, a valuation would be carried out and if it met the high value homes criteria a recommendation would be brought to the Cabinet regarding the potential sale.

(2)          Reasons for the Decision

Proposals contained in the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill included the sale of high value Council homes (or paying the Government annually the equivalent value) to fund the cost of voluntary Right to Buy for housing association tenants, but the detail on when and how this would be rolled out by the Government had been delayed with no indication of an implementation timescale.

(Note: There were no declarations of interest by a Member(s) in respect of the matter decided).