Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for Place.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council note the content of the Devon Housing Commission report including its recommendations in the context of addressing housing challenges in Exeter.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the Report of the Devon Housing Commission, which set out key recommendations for addressing the housing challenges in Devon and how the Council could take some of the recommendations forward  to address housing issues in the city.

The Leader praised the report and made reference to the size of Exeter’s housing stock and the unique differences of all district councils within Devon before making the following points:-

·         the report of the Devon Housing Commission had been commissioned by all Devon districts; and

·         ECC was not handing over the running of its stock to another authority; instead, it was collaborating with the Combined County Authority (CCA).

Councillors Jobson, Mitchell and Moore spoke as follows on the item as opposition group leaders:-

·         clarity should be given about what would happen to the report and specifically how the points raised in the report would be addressed, both by ECC and by the CCA;

·         the recognition of community land trust was important; and

·         the Council needed to do more than “to note the report” as per the recommendation.  

During the discussion, Executive Members raised the following points and questions:-

·         while the report was good, it was surprising that Exeter as a city only warranted one page in it, whereas the section on Exeter University students was four pages long;

·         clarity should be provided on the whether the decrease in the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), as noticed nationally, had resulted in an increase in the number of houses paying council tax, especially in Exeter where the impression was that HMOs were on the rise;

·         Exeter was unique in Devon in terms of housing provision and housing challenges;

·         Members needed to be clear about how many of the recommendations would be addressed;

·         housing was still the remit of district councils;

·         it was essential for ECC to work collaboratively with partners;

·         the Leader would discuss the points raised in the report with the Chief Executive and the Strategic Director for Place.

In response to questions and points raised by Members, the Strategic Director for Place advised that:-

·         while the imbalance in length of reporting between ‘Exeter’ and ‘Student Accommodation in Exeter’ was noticeable, it should be noted that this was an external report;

·         extensive detailed evidence had been provided by Exeter City Council to the Devon Housing Commission;

·         the recommendations in the report covered district councils as well as the CCA and Central Government;

·         a Shadow Advisory Group had been proposed, details of which would be presented to at the Executive meeting in December;

·         a huge volume of work was taking place in Exeter to address housing challenges; and

·         he would welcome the opportunity to inform Members on how ECC would respond to the Commission.

On the last point, the Leader suggested that, at the very least, a Members Briefing should be held. The Chief Executive advised that she would have a conversation on the subject with the Devon County Council Chief Executive on 19 November.

The Leader moved the recommendation,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120