Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Mike Parkes, Ryan Holloway, and Rebecca Knox.

Vice-Chair in the chair.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2023.

Proposed by Cllr Batstone, seconded by Cllr Ezzard.

Decision

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2023 be confirmed and signed.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via Microsoft Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  For further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to george.dare@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday, 27 November 2023

When submitting your question or statement please note that: 

·       You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

·       a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

·       It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

·       Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

·       when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder) 

·       Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting. 

·       questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda. 

·       all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.   

There was no public participation.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The submissions must be emailed in full to george.dare@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday, 27 November 2023.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There were no questions from councillors.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4)b) of the Local Government Act 1972.  The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To consider the Committee's Work Programme and the Cabinet Forward Plan.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer outlined the committee’s work programme for the upcoming meetings on 6 February and 19 March 2024.

There were no comments on the work programme or Cabinet’s Forward Plan.

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Health, and Housing.

The Lead Member for Housing introduced the Housing Strategy which was a high-level document setting out the vision, aims and objectives for housing in Dorset. The strategy was developed over the past 12 months through a series of internal and external stakeholder engagement and a public consultation. The strategy would replace former district council housing policies, and a delivery plan would sit behind the strategic document.

The Corporate Director for Housing and Community Safety gave a presentation to the committee. The presentation, which is attached to these minutes, outlined: the development of the strategy; the visions and objectives; the key themes from consultation responses; how the strategy would be delivered; and the next steps for delivery.

Members discussed the report and asked questions of the officers and Lead Member. The following points were raised:

·         Parts of Part 2 of the cover report, outlining the Housing Strategy, could be made stronger relating to the delivery of new affordable housing and the link to the Climate and Ecology Strategy.  It was acknowledged that the Housing Strategy itself was detailed and strong, and the delivery plan work would cover those, and other, areas of priority.

·         The council should be prepared, when viable and appropriate, to use its status as a registered provider to acquire homes when other independent registered providers do not.

·         Some registered providers have sold homes, largely because they were in poor condition and were not economic to maintain.

·         The council bringing empty properties back into use was welcomed.

·         The delivery plan would be developed in various parts, with the overarching delivery plan to be developed in early 2024.

·         The housing strategy and delivery plan would be reviewed and monitored, and aspects of that plan being brought to appropriate Council committees – including the Housing Board and specific reports to Scrutiny and Overview.

·         A key part of the delivery would be determined through the Local Plan and associated policies across the range of Council policies.

Members thanked officers for their support in developing the strategy.

Proposed by Cllr Legg, seconded by Cllr Ezzard.

That the following be added to the end of paragraph 2.3 of the cover report: “As a Registered Provider we will seek to provide housing that is not currently provided by registered providers. We will also be open to consider s106 housing where no registered provider is identified.”

Proposed by Cllr Legg, seconded by Cllr Ezzard.

That the following be added to the end of paragraph 2.5 of the cover report: “which is in accordance with Dorset Council’s Climate and Ecological Strategy.”

Both amendments to the cover report were unanimously supported by the committee.

Proposed by Cllr Batstone, seconded by Cllr Ezzard.

Decision

That the Housing Strategy and its objectives, and the amendments to the cover report, be recommended to Cabinet.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.

There was no exempt business.