Invitees:

Cllr C Smith – Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development

Angie Bowen – Group Manager Housing & Community Regeneration

Andrew Jolley – Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services

The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration presented a report updating the Committee on the Homes In Towns (HiTs) grant providing details of applications received and explaining the application process. The report also advised Members of the barriers and issues administering the grant and how the service was responding to them. 

Cabinet received a report in November 2013 to approve an amendment to the Private Sector Housing Renewal and Disabled Adaptations Policy to include the introduciton of two new grants and the revision of exisiting grants. Homes in Town Grants were intoroduced as a new grant at this time.

Welsh Government approved a £5.98 million grant for Bridgend town centre under the Vibrant and Viable Places framework for the period 2014/15 – 2016/17. As part of the overall funding package to meet VVP, the HiTs scheme was submitted as match funding in the bid of £390,000 grant and £260,000 private finance to provide 14 units of accommodation. Officers actively encouraged expressions of interest in the HiTs scheme and undertook a number of exercisies on order to attract the maximum interest. To date the Council had received 11 expressions of interest, of which 5 had not progressed further. Six property owners were pursuing this grant funding and officers were in regular contact tro assist and encouarge them to proceed with their applications however no grants had been awarded to date.

As part of the Planning process an assessment of the impact of noise was required. This requirement had been highlighted as a major stumbling block in bringing the properties into use as the assessment would cost the applicant up front, with no guarantee that Planning would be forthcoming. In order to enable the potential applications to proceed, a specialist contractor had been appointed by the Council to undertake the work.

The Committee were asked to acknowledge the effort made by officers to progress schemes under the HiTs and assistance to RSLs for Strategic Regeneration.

The Committee asked what would happen if BCBC was unable to approve grants and spend the  funding  by the end of April 2017. The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that WG had confirmed to colleauges within the Regeneration Team that match funding would be acceptable if the grant is approved and  planning permission had been granted.

Members asked if HIT funding could be made available in three other towns.      

The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that the Private Sector Renewal Policy outlined all funding avaialble subject to various conditions.

The Committee raised concerns that take-up appeared low and asked what other options were being considered. The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that they did try to broker relationships  between owners and potential landlords to encourage take up. There was also a mailshot sent with Council Tax papers. At present there was no  cost to own an empty dwelling, however applying for a grant  could result in costs for the owner or result in disruption to their business.     

Members queried the grant aid figure of £390,000 for 14 units of accommodation. The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that each scheme had a different cost and that the policy set out a maximum and minimum cost per unit.

The Committee asked for the number of potential properties that had already been identified. The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that nine schemes had been identified consisting of various numbers of units.

The Committee asked how active the Council were in trying to assist the RSL’s to buy properties. The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that the RSLs were consulted regarding any change to policy and there were quarterly meetings with Development Managers and close working arrangements with colleagues in regeneration.

Members queried the objections from Natural Resources Wales because the Town Centre was within the flood plain area.  The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that this would generally  be picked up under planning issues and that some ground floor schemes couldnot be supported but most were on the first floor.

The Group Manager- Housing and Community Regeneration explained that negotiations were underway with one RSL regarding purchasing properties and no further information was currently available because negotiations were still commercially sensitive. A number of factors had to be taken into account such as availability of land, the area, experience delivering town centre accommodation and affordability for tenants.

The Committee asked if there were adequate  resources to support the project. They were advised that there was a dedicated surveyor and this was not currently an issue.

Members asked if a positive response was received from Public Protection in regard to the issue of noise in the town centre. They were advised that the planning authority considered each scheme on  its own merits rather than allowing the issue of noise to trigger an automatic refusal.     

Members discussed the issues associated with extending the boundary to include the core town centre area and the availability of funds to cover the increased area. They also referred to the allocation policy and the importance of it reflecting groups in priority need such as looked after children.  

The Committee asked what progress had been made regarding changes to the policy. The Committee were advised that the policy would be presented to the November Cabinet meeting and a briefing note could be sent to them to update them on the amendments to the policy after it has been approved. An update on the proposed Building for the Future Programme (BFF) could also be included.

Further Information

The Committee requested that a briefing note be sent to them to update them on the amendments to the policy after it has been approved at the November Cabinet meeting and also an update on the proposed Building for the Future Programme (BFF)

Recommendations

The Committee strongly supported the engagement with Registered Social Landlords and stated that the Authority should encourage them to apply for the Grants to relieve pressure on the Common Housing Register

The Committee encouraged that an amendment be made to the policy to extend the boundary in order to increase more take up in the Grant

The Committee recommends that there is no reduction in staffing resource so that appropriate support can continue to be provided to applicants to support them through the formal application process