This Council acknowledges that whilst many people may aspire to own their own home, in many cases their income will never reach a level that will allow them to buy a property even at a subsidised cost under Right to Buy, shared equity, or 80% market value starter homes as announced in the Housing and Planning Bill. Through its Housing Strategy the Council has committed itself to providing 1000 additional affordable homes in the Borough by the end of 2018 and as part of that strategy recognises the need to provide more accommodation that people can afford to rent, to contribute to satisfying the demand for housing locally.
The Council notes that
- market rents within the Borough are approximately 3 times social rents, the rent level normally paid by council tenants, with the market rent for typical 3-bedroom properties set at £1200 per month or more, putting them beyond the reach of local families on low incomes, including those on Housing Benefit
- according to information collected to inform the Housing Strategy, only 12% of those on the housing register in Wokingham Borough have sufficient income to be able to afford even affordable rent, which is defined as 80% of market rent
- the shortage of council and housing association properties often means the only type of accommodation available to those seeking help from the Council’s Housing service is in the private rented sector
- the pressure on the private rented sector locally and the competition for accommodation has led to increases in the number of people accepted as homeless in Wokingham Borough due to the end of shorthold tenancies.
The Council therefore regrets measures in the Conservative government’s Housing and Planning Bill which reduce the ability to provide homes at rents that local people can afford, including:
- Pay to Stay, under which households living in social housing in the Borough with incomes greater than £30,000 per annum will be required to pay additional rent, up to near market levels, with the additional income going to the Treasury, not the landlord;
- The forced sale of high value council housing as it becomes vacant, with the proceeds to be paid to the Treasury to fund the extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants across the country;
- The ability for the government to assess the income that it deems it should receive under the sale of high value council housing, and to require councils to pay the amount so calculated whether or not the houses have been sold and regardless of the money received
- The introduction of the choice to build “starter homes” for sale on new developments to replace the requirement to build affordable homes for rent or shared ownership, or to provide equivalent funding for off-site affordable homes
and will
- Work with other local authorities to oppose the introduction of the unfair levy on councils based on an assessment of the sale value of council homes, which will lead to either a reduction in Wokingham Borough council housing through sales or a reduction in the money available to maintain that housing
- Continue to lobby the Conservative government to oppose Pay to Stay and in particular to oppose the use of a blanket figure of £30,000 for household income outside London above which Pay to Stay will apply, pointing out the unfairness of not taking into account differing market rent levels and other living costs in different parts of the country
- Provide information on the measures in the Housing and Planning Bill and their implications for existing tenants and those seeking housing advice, and provide support and advice for individual tenants on issues arising from these measures
- Continue to seek to provide additional housing for social and affordable rent through its Housing department and its housing company, WHL
- Endeavour to maximise the number of properties provided for social and affordable rent by developers under their affordable housing planning obligations, whilst recognising the new duty that is to be placed on councils to promote starter homes for purchase under the terms of the Housing and Planning Bill.
Minutes:
The Council considered the following Notice of Motion submitted by Prue Bray and seconded by Lindsay Ferris.
‘This Council acknowledges that whilst many people may aspire to own their own home, in many cases their income will never reach a level that will allow them to buy a property even at a subsidised cost under Right to Buy, shared equity, or 80% market value starter homes as announced in the Housing and Planning Bill. Through its Housing Strategy the Council has committed itself to providing 1000 additional affordable homes in the Borough by the end of 2018 and as part of that strategy recognises the need to provide more accommodation that people can afford to rent, to contribute to satisfying the demand for housing locally.
The Council notes that
- market rents within the Borough are approximately 3 times social rents, the rent level normally paid by Council tenants, with the market rent for typical 3-bedroom properties set at £1200 per month or more, putting them beyond the reach of local families on low incomes, including those on Housing Benefit
- according to information collected to inform the Housing Strategy, only 12% of those on the housing register in Wokingham Borough have sufficient income to be able to afford even affordable rent, which is defined as 80% of market rent
- the shortage of Council and housing association properties often means the only type of accommodation available to those seeking help from the Council’s Housing service is in the private rented sector
- the pressure on the private rented sector locally and the competition for accommodation has led to increases in the number of people accepted as homeless in Wokingham Borough due to the end of shorthold tenancies.
The Council therefore regrets measures in the Conservative government’s Housing and Planning Bill which reduce the ability to provide homes at rents that local people can afford, including:
- Pay to Stay, under which households living in social housing in the Borough with incomes greater than £30,000 per annum will be required to pay additional rent, up to near market levels, with the additional income going to the Treasury, not the landlord;
- The forced sale of high value Council housing as it becomes vacant, with the proceeds to be paid to the Treasury to fund the extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants across the country;
- The ability for the government to assess the income that it deems it should receive under the sale of high value council housing, and to require councils to pay the amount so calculated whether or not the houses have been sold and regardless of the money received;
- The introduction of the choice to build “starter homes” for sale on new developments to replace the requirement to build affordable homes for rent or shared ownership, or to provide equivalent funding for off-site affordable homes
and will
- Work with other local authorities to oppose the introduction of the unfair levy on councils based on an assessment of the sale value of Council homes, which will lead to either a reduction in Wokingham Borough Council housing through sales or a reduction in the money available to maintain that housing;
- Continue to lobby the Conservative government to oppose Pay to Stay and in particular to oppose the use of a blanket figure of £30,000 for household income outside London above which Pay to Stay will apply, pointing out the unfairness of not taking into account differing market rent levels and other living costs in different parts of the country;
- Provide information on the measures in the Housing and Planning Bill and their implications for existing tenants and those seeking housing advice, and provide support and advice for individual tenants on issues arising from these measures
- Continue to seek to provide additional housing for social and affordable rent through its Housing department and its housing company, WHL;
- Endeavour to maximise the number of properties provided for social and affordable rent by developers under their affordable housing planning obligations, whilst recognising the new duty that is to be placed on councils to promote starter homes for purchase under the terms of the Housing and Planning Bill.’
Keith Baker indicated that he had asked the Constitution Review Working Group to look at putting in a limit to the number of words contained within a Motion.
Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the Motion was declared by the Mayor to be lost.