Agenda item

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Deputy Chief Executive which informed them that the previous Housing Strategy (2015- 2018) was approved by Cabinet in April 2015. It was a three year document that reflected the key housing challenges and opportunities facing Oldham at that time.

Good practice dictated that housing strategies were reviewed every five years and no longer than every seven years. In addition, as a local authority, there was a statutory responsibility to periodically review the housing needs of the borough in relation to housing conditions and the needs of the local authority area. This statutory responsibility was usually articulated through the periodic publications of a housing strategy and housing stock condition surveys.

The cabinet noted that Oldham had a diverse housing market: stretching out from a town centre surrounded by an inner ring of high density and compact terraced housing neighbourhoods which were increasingly areas of regeneration priority, to outer suburbs, semi- rural parish standalone settlements and dispersed smaller rural settlements within green belt and countryside.

There had been significant changes in the local housing market and the service operating model since the last housing strategy was refreshed. Devolution had occurred, with agreement to meet our housing targets through a Greater Manchester spatial planning process. Alongside this major shift and together with new burdens in national planning methodologies and standards,  a completely new approach was needed as to how the statutory planning and housing responsibilities were met. This new housing strategy would complement the existing homelessness strategy, link to the 30 year housing revenue account business plan and set out the evidence base for the development of the new local plan.

The new housing strategy also responded to the travel of direction towards working in a new integrated health and social care service cluster model being driven by Oldham Cares. The housing strategy therefore picked up in one of its key themes the key function housing played in supporting health and social care integration and wider public service reform.

A key objective of the development of the new housing strategy had been to reset the housing delivery governance framework that could start to tackle the challenges identified in the evidence base. This would help meet the opportunities to achieve the housing priority themes acknowledged over the short, medium and long term. The accompanying delivery plan sought to begin to locate housing and place-shaping at the heart of Oldham’s collective vision for the Borough.

The Cabinet were informed that the new housing strategy would, if adopted:-

·                 Enable the Council to determine priorities in each district or local housing market area as defined by the LHNA evidence base;

·                 Inform bids for both public and private funding to support the development of new homes in Oldham.

·                 Support the Council and its partners to make more informed People and Place making decisions about the targeting and future integrated commissioning priorities under for example the Integrated Care Organisation (Oldham Cares) and underpin external funding bids to support investment in existing housing services and stock in Oldham.

·                 Enable the Council to focus and develop new policies and ways of working that better fit the operating environment.

·                 Inform the Council to progress its energy conservation work, and to satisfy the Council’s obligations under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 and subsequent guidance.

Options/Alternatives considered:–

Option1 – do nothing

Option 2 - adopt the new housing strategy

RESOLVED that the adoption of the new Housing Strategy and the accompanying delivery plan be approved.