Agenda item

Questions from Members of the Council under Standing Order No 8.

Question from Councillor Mrs Thompson

 

It has been confirmed in reports to Committees, the Clifton Hill site will be offered for sale on the 'Open Market', so will the City Council's Private Development Company be making an offer for the site in competition with other private developers?

 

Question from Councillor Mrs Thompson

 

By not specifically getting a valuation for only the brown field Clifton Hill Sports Centre Building site, to exclude the golf range, ski slope, rifle range and green open spaces (to include purpose built student accommodation), has the Council, whilst meeting the legal requirements, effectively created a 'best consideration avoidance'?

Question from Councillor Mrs Thompson

 

As Executive did not exclude the ski slope from the sale of the whole Clifton Hill site, was this to avoid triggering the need for another valuation of the remaining land where best consideration for purpose built student accommodation could possibly exceed the £9 million approx. valuation for the sale of the whole site?

 

Question from Councillor Mrs Thompson

 

Recent Exeter City Council Planning Applications on City Council owned land have not met the Councils own planning policy of providing 35% social housing but with approx 2500 on the City Council housing waiting list is it fair for the Council to develop through the Councils own private development company properties for sale on the open market when this land in Council ownership presents an opportunity for the Council to build the much needed Council housing?

 

Question from Councillor Mrs Thompson

 

Is the City Council selling off assets of Council owned land for private housing in order  to generate Community Infrastructure Levy, of which a significant sum will be contributed to the Bus Station redevelopment, whereas building Council properties for rent to Council tenants on Council land would be exempt from CIL?

 

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Order No.8, Councillor Thompson put the following questions to the Leader.

 

Question - Recent Exeter City Council Planning Applications on City Council owned land have not met the Councils own planning policy of providing 35% social housing but with approximately 2500 on the City Council housing waiting list is it fair for the Council to develop through the Councils own private development company properties for sale on the open market when this land in Council ownership presents an opportunity for the Council to build the much needed Council housing?

 

The Leader responded that the Council agreed to establish a Development Company to increase the amount of housing of different tenures available to local residents as well as make a profit for the Council to counter the reduction in funding from the Government. The provision of affordable housing is always subject to an assessment of viability of the Scheme. For the application for Hamlin Gardens, the viability assessment which was corroborated by independent advisors confirmed that 35% Affordable Housing was not viable and indeed, this had already been identified in the Business Case for the Exeter Living which was approved by Council in 2018.

 

Councillor Thompson asked a supplementary question seeking an explanation on how the 2,500 Council waiting list would be addressed.

 

The Leader referred to the Council’s policy commitment to provide homes for people, being the only Council in Devon to have built Council houses in recent years. He stated that those houses built by the Council were of passivhaus standard. He also said that one third of all housing built was social housing or affordable rent. He was proud of the Council’s track record

 

Question -Is the City Council selling off assets of Council owned land for private housing in order to generate Community Infrastructure Levy, of which a significant sum will be contributed to the Bus Station redevelopment, whereas building Council properties for rent to Council tenants on Council land would be exempt from CIL?

 

The Leader responded that No, the decision to sell Council owned assets is to maximise revenue to the Council, in the light of the financial challenges faced by the Council through on-going central Government funding cuts.

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The Council is developing an ambitious programme for the development of Social Housing properties as a response to the lifting of the borrowing cap for the Housing Revenue Account, which will be presented to Members in due course.

 

In accordance with Standing Order No.8, Councillor Musgrave put the following questions to the Leader.

Question - WestExe residents have noticed that the pool at Riverside appears to be filled in, can the Council explain this?

The Leader responded that this is part of the overall works to re- open the Swimming Pool. As stated in the report (Para 8.2.4) we have identified significantstructural faults to the block and beam flooring and surround of the pool. Contractors have been instructed to prepare the pool for replacement using existing funding.  The further funding requested will allow this and the roof replacement work to be completed.

Question - The costs of repairing and fully re-opening Riverside are escalating as the months roll by, what confidence can the people of Exeter have Riverside will ever fully reopen? 

The Leader responded that Exeter Live Better and Move More Draft Built Facilities, Playing Fields, Pitches, Play Areas, Parks and Opens Spaces Report (January 2019)  says  (page 12) “ This community swimming pool and leisure centre facility needs to be maintained to provide access on this side of the River. A rolling programme of refurbishment needs to be in place with a long term building replacement plan to ensure sustainability”.

 

With the works completed and currently underway, the additional funding requested will enable the full refurbishment and re-opening of the pool.

 

Councillor Musgrave asked a supplementary question, asking whether in the light of the excessive delay, the Council was letting the residents and voters of West Exe down.

 

The Leader said no.