Issue - meetings

1.  The Residential Asset Management Strategy and the Rent Setting Policy be approved for adoption.

2.  The draft Tenancy Strategy and the Tenancy Management Policy be approved for eight weeks public consultation.

3.  The results of the consultation together with any suggested amendments arising from this consultation be reported back to the Executive for final approval and adoption of the two documents be noted.

Report HPR2023/018

The Council transferred its housing stock to Clarion Housing Association (formerly known as Broomleigh) in 1992. In July 2020 the Council approved the re-opening and setting up of a Housing Revenue Account (“HRA”) for the provision of affordable housing and had recently been developing housing on Council-owned land. The Council was registered as a provider of social housing by the regulator on 29 September 2020 (Reg no:5103).

To remain compliant with the regulatory requirements and ensure delivery to our residents, the Council, now a stock holding authority, was required to produce various housing policies and strategies.  Four of the required policies were nearing completion, two of which would require statutory consultation. They were a Tenancy Strategy, Residential Asset Management Strategy, Tenancy Management Policy and Rent Setting Policy.

The Head of Housing Schemes outlined the following typographical errors in the Residential Asset Management Strategy which would be corrected prior to consultation:

2.1.5 - the housing target was no longer 641 due to a new London Plan. This would be adjusted to reflected new figures.

2.1.7 - the policy content was correct however the housing statistics referenced were no longer accurate and needed to be updated.

4.2 – swelling needed to be replaced with dwelling

The report had been scrutinised by the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee at its meeting on 21 March 2023 and the Committee had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED: That

1.  The Residential Asset Management Strategy and the Rent Setting Policy be approved for adoption.

2.  The draft Tenancy Strategy and the Tenancy Management Policy be approved for eight weeks public consultation.

3.  It be agreed that the results of the consultation together with any suggested amendments arising from this consultation be reported back to the Executive for final approval and adoption of the two documents.

  Report HPR2023/018

The report presented four policy and strategy documents required to be produced in respect of the Local Authority’s role as a provider of social housing.  The documents comprised the Residential Asset Management Strategy and Rent Setting Policy which the Council’s Executive was asked to approve, and the draft Tenancy Strategy and Tenancy Management Policy which the Council’s Executive was asked to agree be released for public consultation.

In considering the report, a Member noted that it was proposed that the initial rent of new builds subject to social rents be calculated on a formula rent plus 5% rent flexibility.  The Head of Housing Schemes advised that rent flexibilities provided a means by which the Local Authority could take local market context and affordability into account, but that Bromley social rent levels remained affordable and would further benefit from the Government’s recently announced 7% rent increase cap for the 2023/24 financial year.  Initial rent would apply to Bromley new builds subject to social rents for a 12-month period with tenants then moving onto a secure tenancy in which rent flexibility would be built into the annual rent review.  In response to a further question from the Member, the Head of Housing Schemes explained that the Repairs Charter would provide a clear repairs process for tenants and that the Local Authority would monitor performance in this area closely to ensure that tenants received a high-quality service.  Another Member emphasised the need for social housing to be as high a priority for the Local Authority as affordable housing.  The Portfolio Holder underlined the Local Authority’s commitment to delivering both social and affordable housing and confirmed that work was undertaken to identify if Council-owned land was suitable for housing development prior to any disposal.

RESOLVED: That the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

·  Approve the Residential Asset Management Strategy and the Rent Setting Policy for adoption;

·  Approve the draft Tenancy Strategy and the Tenancy Management Policy for eight weeks public consultation; and,

·  Note that the results of the consultation together with any suggested amendments arising from this consultation would be reported back to the Council’s Executive for final approval and adoption of the draft Tenancy Strategy and the Tenancy Management Policy.