Agenda and draft minutes

To receive and record apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Buckley, Milne and Satchwell.

To receive and record any declarations of Interests from members present in respect of any of the various matters on the agenda for this meeting.

There were no declarations of interests relating to matters on the agenda.

To receive verbal updates from Councillors Buckley and Lloyd on the work of the Local Plan Scrutiny Panel and the Parking Review Scrutiny Panel respectively.

The Chairman reported that the Parking Review Panel had identified a number of options available to the Council to tackle the issue of parking on verges and the pavement and had sought the views of all Councillors on these options.

The Interim Head of Service (Environmental Health, Parking and Traffic Management) was invited to address the Board and answer questions relating to the Council’s Empty Property Strategy.

A report and answers to pre-prepared questions raised by members of the Board were circulated prior to the meeting.

In response to a question raised a member of the Board, the officers advised that in most cases the Council only became aware of a problem arising from an empty property, if a complaint had been submitted.

The Housing Manager (Development) was invited to address the Board and answer questions relating to the Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy.

The answers to pre-prepared questions raised by members of the Board were circulated prior to the meeting.

In response to questions raised a member of the Board, the officer:

(a)          explained the different types of affordable housing and in particular the terms social rent, intermediate rent and affordable rent;   

(b)          advised that a majority of new affordable housing was delivered through housing development by national housebuilders. The requirement for affordable housing on development sites was agreed at a very early stage of the planning application process and formed part of a legal agreement, a Section 106 agreement, that was signed by all parties; 

(c)          explained the demand for two bed properties;

(d)          advised that developers made a payment to cover any shortfall in the delivery of affordable housing on their sites;

(e)          advised that it was proposed to introduce a new housing supplementary planning document by the end of the year; and

(f)           advised that Housing Associations and private landlords were treated the same when dealing with complaints about the condition of their properties.

RESOLVED that the officers be requested to update the Board on the affordable housing strategy in March 2020.

The Interim Head of Service (Environmental Health, Parking and Traffic Management) was invited to address the Board and answer questions relating to the Private Sector Housing Disabilities Grants.

A report and the answers to pre-prepared questions raised by members of the Board was circulated prior to the meeting.

In response to questions raised by members of the board, the officers advised that:

(a)          there was no waiting list for these grants due to a quick turnover of applications;

(b)          The Council was examining ways to communicate the availability of these grants in the future; and

(c)          Portsmouth City Council tenants could not transfer to a property on the Hampshire Home Choice list; Portsmouth City Council had its own housing list.