E.04/18
Members were
presented with a report that requested the release and allocation
of Section 106 funds over £30,000 for affordable housing
projects with Transition Homes Community Land Trust
(CLT).
The Lead Member for
Customer First introduced the report and reminded the meeting on a
number of occasions that the Council’s top Corporate Priority
was affordable housing.
In the ensuing
debate, reference was made to:-
(a)
a
motion to defer the
recommendation. A motion to defer the
recommendation to the next Executive meeting on 19 July 2018 was
PROPOSED and SECONDED. In support of the motion to defer, the proposer
and seconder made the following points:
-
It was felt that a five week delay would
not unduly affect the project and would enable for consultation to
be undertaken in the meantime with Totnes Town Council and East
Allington Parish Council;
-
In light of concerns over the seemingly
high build costs associated with the project, a deferral would also
enable for more information and clarification to be sought in this
respect.
In contrast, other Members did not support the motion
and made the following points:
-
The proposals presented an opportunity to
progress a good quality affordable housing scheme (70% of which
affordable housing) that had the support of the local Members from
both Totnes and Dartington;
-
With regard to the Fallapit House, East Allington development monies, these had been
available since 2010 and no appropriate schemes had come forward
yet from either the Parish Council or the local Ward
Member. As a consequence, if these went
unspent there was a risk that these could ultimately be lost by the
Council.
When put to the vote, the motion was (by virtue of
the Chairman’s Casting Vote) declared LOST.
(b)
the
principle of Section 106 deposits being
spent elsewhere in the South Hams. It
was acknowledged that the process for spending Section 106 Deposits
for Affordable Housing was last reviewed by the Overview and
Scrutiny Panel at its meeting on 6 July 2017 (Minute O&S.16/17
refers). That being said, some Members
were uncomfortable that the process now enabled for monies that had
been received for a development in one town/parish to be spent
elsewhere in the district. However,
other Members were content with the current process and stressed
the importance of the wider membership taking the view that such
monies were required to facilitate affordable housing provision
across the whole of the South Hams.
Such was the extent and length of the debate on this
point, that the following motion was PROPOSED and
SECONDED:
‘That the Overview and Scrutiny Panel be asked
to undertake a review into the process for Spending Section 106
Deposits for Affordable Housing.’
When put to the vote, this motion was declared
CARRIED.
(c)
fuel
poverty. A
Member highlighted the associated difficulties experienced by low
income families regarding fuel poverty and the cost of heating a
home. As a consequence, it was noted
that one of the reasons for the ...
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