Issue - meetings

The Chairman explained that there were recommendations from the Cabinet meetings held on 10th December 2024 and 7th January 2025 for the Council’s consideration.

Recommendations from the Cabinet meeting held on 10th December 2024

Bromsgrove Local Heritage List

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Licensing and Worcestershire Regulatory Services, Councillor K. Taylor presented the Bromsgrove Heritage List report for Members’ consideration. It was noted that this had been a long piece of work and that the Officers had worked incredibly hard in putting the information together.

It was reported that four parishes were involved in this part of the work and thanks were extended to the parishes for their involvement. In addition to this, Councillor Taylor thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the scrutiny that had been carried out in respect of this matter. Several responses had been received that outlined some reluctance to appear on the list and as a result there had been some appeals from local residents.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor K. Taylor and seconded by Councillor S. Webb.

RESOLVED that

1)    The Local Heritage List for the following parishes be adopted: Alvechurch, Beoley, Belbroughton and Fairfield Dodford with Grafton

2)    The wording of the Officer Scheme of Delegations for the Local Heritage List be updated ; and

3)    The amended Local Heritage List Strategy be approved.

Low-Cost Housing Capital Receipts

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing and Strategic Housing presented the Low-Cost Housing Capital Receipts report for Council’s consideration. During the presentation, Members were informed that the report set out the pressures on the Council’s statutory housing service including homelessness service and those in temporary accommodation.

It was reported that twenty-seven years previously, the Council had entered into an arrangement with a housing developer to establish a local housing scheme. This had resulted in properties being offered to those families who were eligible to buy one of the houses within the scheme at a thirty per cent discount. However, over time the housing had ceased to be suitable for low-cost housing needs.

A report was considered by Cabinet in February 2017 which sought approval for the housing within the scheme to be sold at one hundred percent value when the developer chose to sell the properties. The Council would then recoup their thirty per cent and invest in affordable housing. The capital receipts as a result of this decision were £577,912.26, At the date of the meeting none of this capital money had been spent.

Officers had carried out some research and a model had been developed in respect of the increasing costs of temporary accommodation and upward trend of homelessness. It was hoped that the plans in respect of the low-cost housing capital receipts would help increase the supply of temporary accommodation, thus resulting in a decrease in the use of Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodation. There were several options for use of the receipts, which included the purchase of any low-cost housing or the flipping of new build shared ownership  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84