Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Fairweather and Hill.

To receive any declarations of interest by members of the Council in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary or other significant interest made at the meeting.

To note any members of the Council wishing to speak, of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 18, and which items they wish to speak on.

There were no Visiting Members or members of the public registered to speak.

To approve the minutes of a previous meeting as a correct record. The only issue relating to the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.

No amendments were proposed.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting dated 14 July 2021 be approved as a correct record.

To note forthcoming items as set out in the Forward Plan.

The Forward Plan was taken as read.

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan as at 25 August 2021 be noted.

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.

Sarah Holmes, Housing Register and Development Manager, introduced the report set out in the agenda. The following additional comments were made:

·         Prospective rents for the properties in Paddock Wood as noted in paragraph 2.19 of the report were exclusive of £12 per week service charges.

Discussion included:

·         The focus on facilitating social rental properties, rather than ‘affordable’ rents, was welcome.

·         The developer contributions had been agreed some years ago. However, payment was only made on completion of a majority of units therefore the Council had only received the funds recently.

·         Several developer contribution funded schemes had come to completion recently. The timing was coincidental.

·         The properties would provide a mixture of single occupancy and two-person occupancy properties, those most in demand.

·         Single occupancy properties were rare and not affordable, even at ‘affordable’ rents. Social rents were affordable and so it would be viable for a single person to be accommodated in a two-person property.

·         Additional social rented properties would relieve demand for emergency and temporary accommodation. Emergency accommodation cost the Council £45 per night and the average stay was 8 weeks. The Council’s supply of temporary accommodation was full.

·         The opportunities for assisting the provision of social rental properties were few. Town and Country Housing were currently the only housing association interested in the provision of new social rental properties.

·         Policies within the Draft Local Plan contain requirements for a greater proportion of new properties to be provided for social rent.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported.

To consider and provide a recommendation to Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.

Terry Hughes, Community Safety Manager, introduce the report set out in the agenda.

The report was taken as read.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations set out in the report be supported.

To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business.

To note that the date of the next scheduled meeting is Wednesday 13 October 2021 at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells.

The next meeting was scheduled for 13 October 2021.