Housing Matters update

Taken from the Notice of Decisions Made by Mayor & Cabinet on 16 January 2013 found on the Agenda page of the Overview and Scrutiny Business Panel, Tuesday 29th January 2013.

These decisions will become effective on 30 January 2013 unless they are called in by the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel on 29 January 2013.

Housing Matters Update
Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susan Wise, and from the Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Carl Handley, the Mayor agreed that:

(i) the findings of the discussion with residents about the possible options for addressing Lewisham’s housing challenges be noted;

(ii) the potential options for continuing the conversation with residents and the associated strengths and weaknesses of each be noted;

(iii) as there was limited support expressed among residents for the option of transfer to an existing housing association, and because the resident-led option offers greater potential to respond to residents concerns about rents and security of tenure for new as well as existing residents, transfer to an existing housing association be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(iv) as residents prefer retention with the ALMO to retention with a return to Council Management, and because a return to Council management at this stage would put at risk the delivery of the current Decent Homes programme, the option of a return to Council management of the stock be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(v) the two possible options remaining options be noted namely:

1. that the Council ceases all further options appraisal activities, retains the ALMO as is, and works within the budgetary limits the Council faces as a landlord, or

2. that the Council works alongside residents, Lewisham Homes and other bodies to better understand how, by retaining but evolving Lewisham Homes - with a view to a possible transfer of ownership to Lewisham Homes as a resident-led organisation – it might attract further investment, increase resident control, deliver residents’ aspirations and address their concerns; and

(vi) on the basis of the appraisal of the options set out and having considered the further information including the required further financial and technical assessments set out, option 2 should be pursued.

See our previous post.