Question on Notice
A period of up to 15 minutes is allocated for the asking and answering of questions. This may be extended at the discretion of the Chairman with the agreement of the majority of those present.
To deal with any questions on notice from Members of the Council, in the order in which they have been received.
Minutes:
Question submitted by Councillor C. A. Hotham
“In October of last year it was reported that the West Midlands area had 10,000 empty homes and that over 5,000 of these were in Birmingham. The Leader will also be aware that Birmingham City Council are prevaricating over planning permission for 1000 homes on the North Worcestershire Golf Course in Northfield. Bromsgrove District Council has a housing shortfall that could be met by a judicious use of these wasted housing assets, without using green belt land. When will the Leader be asking Birmingham City Council to fulfil its obligation in its duty to co-operate and find space for our overspill housing?”
The Leader responded that at the Examinations into the Bromsgrove District Plan and the Birmingham Development Plan it was agreed and accepted by the Councils that there was a shortfall of land within the West Midlands conurbation to meet the identified housing needs.
This shortfall is highly likely to lead to land being required outside the conurbation for future housing and employment growth and this agreement has been reflected in policies which are now contained within the adopted Plans for both Authorities.
Therefore the Council has already accepted that it may need to play a part in meeting the wider needs of the conurbation, and not the other way around as the question suggests.