Agenda item

The Housing and Welfare Manager presented the report as detailed in full in the agenda.  She gave a full explanation of the different band categories used on the Homefinder Somerset register.

In response to questions she replied that:

·         There were no 3 bedroomed properties currently empty within South Somerset although they do now take longer to let; people often struggle to afford a 3 bedroomed property, she had recently attended a meeting with YHG (Yarlington Housing Group) to address the issue;

·         The allocation process for local need was often different and was dependant on what had been agreed within a S106 obligation;

·         If there was a S106 obligation on a property and the registered partner had been unable to allocate to a family with a connection to the specific village or the neighbouring village the property would then be offered to someone living in South Somerset. The applicant would need to be on the Housing Register and this would be a last resort. The RP has to balance allocating the property to a local family and receiving an income stream,

·         YHG had a dedicated officer who dealt with mutual exchanges but it was not a quick process;

·         She would refer to the Strategic Housing Manager, the issue of the delivery of too many houses being made available in Wincanton all at  the same time;

·         She would feed back to the Homefinder Board the suggestion that preference should be given to keep extended families close together in order to be able to support each other;

·         She would obtain figures of the number of people classed as homeless in Area East and a breakdown of what housing need there is, particularly in Wincanton;

·         She would check that the S106 obligation had been adhered to when the properties were let at Sparkford. She explained that if there was a S106 obligation an applicant on the register in bronze band with a local connection as defined by the S106 obligation would take priority over an applicant in Gold with no local connection.

·         She could confirm that of the 20 new affordable homes that had been available in Queen Camel, only one had been allocated to a person without a local connection to the village, but they did have a connection to South Somerset

·         Members could rest assured that priority would not be given to persons living up North, all applicants would need a local connection to Somerset in order to allow mobility within the county.

In conclusion, members wished to ensure that local people were looked after and had the first choice of property, a review of the method used should be carried out in order to prioritise local need, suitable properties such as 1 bedroomed dwellings and bungalows were needed to enable local youngsters to remain in their locality and for the elderly and disabled.

The Chairman agreed that Cllr T Carroll could address the committee to explain that as the Local Plan had now been approved and the demand profile for housing had changed there was more scope to refresh strategic housing, feedback would be incorporated in any work carried out.

The Community Development Officer explained that parish and town councils do carry out surveys themselves to identify housing need.

The Chairman thanked the Housing and Welfare Manager for the report and commented that rural areas were very different to towns and needed to be treated differently than urban areas. He would take up the issue further at the next Area Chairs meeting.

RESOLVED: That Members:

1.    Discuss matters of interest to the local area arising from the report and presentation.

2.    Identify further information to be considered by the Area East Committee or other forum.