Agenda item

The deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and the cabinet member for regeneration and new homes to present the theme for the meeting.

MOTION ON THE THEME – TACKLING THE HOUSING CRISIS (see pages 29-30 of the main agenda)

The cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, Councillor Mark Williams, presented the motion on the themed debate.

Councillor Anood Al-Samerai, the majority opposition group spokesperson, responded to the cabinet member's motion and proposed Amendment A.

Following debate (Councillors Nick Dolezal, Adele Morris, Kieron Williams, Catherine Dale, Dan Whitehead, Peter John and Paul Fleming), the cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, Councillor Mark Williams, responded to the debate.

Amendment A was put to the vote and declared to be Lost.

The motion was put to the vote and declared to be Carried.

Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.

RESOLVED:

1.  Council assembly recognises the role of local authorities in tackling the housing crisis, to ensure that there are enough decent affordable homes for all of our residents.

2.  Council assembly welcomes the steps that this administration is taking to ensure Southwark plays its role in solving the housing crisis, including:

·  Building 11,000 new council homes, with the first 1,500 delivered by 2018

·  Ensuring that local residents benefit directly by reserving half of all the new council homes for residents on the housing waiting list who live in the local area

·  Ensuring the delivery of truly affordable homes by securing over 35% affordable homes in new developments last year, with over 50% of these for social rent

·  Improving the quality of 15,000 council homes, spending £480m to make every council home warm, dry and safe and ensuring every council tenant has a quality kitchen and bathroom

·  Introducing a private-rented sector licensing scheme to raise standards in private rented housing and protect the 1 in 4 families in Southwark who rent privately.

3.  Council assembly recognises that at a time when the Conservative government has slashed funding for new affordable homes, it is more important than ever to hold developers to account and secure as many affordable homes as possible, and therefore welcomes the new rules introduced by this administration to make viability assessments public for all new developments.

4.  Council assembly welcomes the new Mayor of London’s bold plan to deliver the homes that Londoners need, including supporting councils to enforce clear, new rules to maximise the affordable housing in new developments and the option to set local affordable housing targets.

5.  Council assembly condemns the government for pushing through its disastrous Housing and Planning Act despite fierce opposition by local councils including Southwark and for refusing to accept concessions to limit the impact of ‘pay to stay’ on council tenants and to ensure that any high value council homes sold are replaced in the same area.

6.  Council assembly recognises that the government’s ‘Starter Homes’ contained in this act will not be affordable for most Southwark residents, and calls on the cabinet to work with the Mayor of London to explore alternatives for low cost home ownership, to support residents who are struggling to buy their own home.

7.  Council assembly recognises that the lack of detail in the legislation about the implementation of the act seriously limits the information and advice that the council can provide to residents, but calls on the cabinet to do everything it can to minimise the impact of this disastrous legislation on Southwark residents and particularly council tenants.

8.  Council assembly calls on all councillors to continue to fight the Conservatives’ attack on social housing.