Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing introduced a report on the Council’s proposed approach to developing estate renewal proposals, which covered the criteria for assessing potential estate renewal schemes, how the Council would consult residents on the proposals before final decisions were made and the offer to those residents displaced as a result of estate renewal projects.

The Cabinet Member referred specifically to the offer to displaced residents, which included giving Council tenants top priority to bid for an alternative Council home in the Borough and having a Right to Return to the new homes within the B&D Reside portfolio, at a Council target rent and on an Assured Tenancy.  Officers were also assessing the implications of the Council offering interest-free equity loans in certain circumstances to enable resident leaseholders to take up their Right to Return.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the criteria for considering estate renewal, as set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report;

(ii)  Note the proposed approach to consultation on estate renewal proposals, and approve the proposed arrangements for statutory section 105 consultation as set out in paragraph 2.5 of the report;

(iii)  Approve the rehousing offer for tenants and leaseholders as set out in paragraph 2.8 of the report;

(iv)  Note and approve the financial assistance that may be offered to resident leaseholders to enable them to stay in the local area, or to enable them to take up the Right to Return as set out in paragraphs 2.9 and 2.10 of the report;

(v)  Note and approve the proposed Help to Move offer, as set out in paragraphs 2.11 and 2.12 of the report;

(vi)  Agree that the rehousing offer be made to tenants and leaseholders of the four estate renewal schemes currently subject to consultation (Rainham Road South, Rectory Road, Roxwell Road and Oxlow Lane) and note that further reports on those schemes would be presented to Cabinet later in the year following resident consultation; and

(vii)  Delegate authority to the Director of Inclusive Growth to extend the terms of the rehousing offer to any other tenant(s) or leaseholder(s) on a discretionary basis.