Agenda item

A Timson, Mr Westhead, Mr Swinn, Mr Green, Mr Winder and Mr Adams then addressed the Council  reiterating their points made at the last meeting and asking that the Council give favourable consideration to stock retention.

Councillor Palethorpe as the portfolio holder for Housing then presented the report on the Housing Option Appraisal which recommended that the Council fully debated the options available in order to determine its preferred option for the future of the housing stock and the associated landlord service that best delivered its commitment to the Corporate Plan priority, “Ensure the Availability of Decent and Affordable Homes for all”.  In presenting the report Councillor Palethorpe paid tribute to the work of the housing staff and to those tenants who had worked very hard on the customer panel.  Councillor Palethorpe then moved and Councillor Hadland seconded that procedure rule 3.4 be suspended to enable the folllowing motion to be discussed and vote taken.

The motion was carried.

The following motion was then moved by Councillor Palethorpe and seconded by Councillor Hadland:-

Northampton Borough Council reaffirms its commitment to the democratic process and a policy in which the final decision on the future of the Landlord service of the Council’s Housing Stock will reside with Council tenants and that the Council will continue to develop a housing asset management structure to deliver high quality improvements to the current Council Housing Stock.

In pursuing the policy of seeking to meet the future needs of the people of Northampton and in reaching a decision on the future of the Housing Landlord Service, Northampton Borough Council has taken the following into account,

(i)         All aspects of the Northampton Borough Council Housing Option Appraisal as required by Government Policy.

(ii)            Northampton Borough Council stock condition survey 2003

(iii)            Northampton Borough Council current position as a “Recovering Council”

(iv)            Northampton Borough Council projected financial position 2006/2010

(v)        ODPM determination that there is no “fourth option” for Council housing

That the Chief Executive inform the Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) that having taken all of the factors into consideration the decision of the Council is for stock retention whilst further work is conducted into how improvements above that of the Basic Decent Homes Standard can be achieved in the future.

Councillor Woods then proposed and Councillor Perkins seconded an amendment to the motion with the inclusion of a new third paragraph to be numbered (1) and to take out the words has taken the following into account The new paragraph to read (1) endorses the findings of the House of Commons Council Housing Groups Inquiry into the future funding of Council Housing 2004/2005 as set out in their report “Support for the Fourth Option” for Council Housing.

The words has taken into account be numbered (2) and followed by the points (i) – (v) as listed in the original motion then to amend the final paragraph to add the words after work is conducted with full involvement of tenant representatives and to add at the end of that paragraph and into options that encourage and provide greater tenant involvement in the management of the Councils Housing Stock.

Councillor Barron then moved and Councillor Marriott seconded a further amendment that the additional paragraph (1) be deleted and that an extra point (vi) be added to read a meeting with the Town’s MPs and Minister on 9 June 2005.  This amended motion was then debated the motion reading as follows:-

Northampton Borough Council re-affirms its commitment to the democratic process and a policy in which the final decision on the future of the landlord service of the Council’s Housing Stock will reside with the council tenants and that the Council will continue to develop a housing asset management structure to deliver high quality improvements to the current council housing stock.

In pursuing the policy of seeking to meet the future needs of the people of Northampton and in reaching a decision on the future of the Housing Landlord service, Northampton Borough Council has taken the following into account.

(i)         All aspects of the Northampton Borough Council Housing Options Appraisal as required by Government policy

            (ii)            Northampton Borough Council Stock Condition Survey 2003

(iii)       Northampton Borough Council’s current position as a “recovering council”

(iv)       Northampton Borough Council’s projected financial position 2006-2010

(v)        ODPM determination that there is no “fourth option” for Council Housing

            (vi)            A meeting with the Town’s MP’s and Minister on 9 June 2005

That the Chief Executive inform the Government Office of the East Midlands (GOEM) that having taken all of the factors into consideration the decision of the Council is for Stock Retention whilst further work is conducted, with full involvement of tenant representatives, into how improvements above that of the basic Decent Homes Standard can be achieved in future and into options that encourage and provide greater tenant involvement in the management of the Council’s housing stock.

The amendment was then voted upon and carried to be become the substantive motion.

The substantive motion was then voted upon and carried.