Decision details

Housing Strategy for Reading 2020 - 2025 and Reading's Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020 - 2025

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report presenting the Housing Strategy for Reading 2020-2025 and Reading’s Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020–2025.  The following documents were attached to the report:

 

·      Appendix A - Housing Strategy for Reading 2020 – 2025

·      Appendix B - Reading’s Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020 – 2025

·      Appendix C - Equality Impact Assessment: Reading’s Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020 – 2025

·      Appendix D - Housing Strategy Consultation Feedback

·      Appendix E - Preventing Homelessness Strategy Consultation Feedback

 

The report explained that the Housing Strategy was an overarching strategy which provided an overview of strategies and plans across the Council aimed at facilitating the Council’s ambition to provide decent, sustainable affordable homes within thriving neighbourhoods.  A key theme running through the Housing Strategy was embedding the Climate Emergency Strategy and the ambition to complete a ‘deep retrofit’ of existing homes in Reading alongside a programme of education and support to residents to enable energy efficient lifestyles.  The report sought approval for the use of s106 contributions collected under the Council’s Zero Carbon Homes Local Plan Policy to fund the retrofit schemes, and for a delegation to select the retrofit schemes to be carried out.

 

The Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020-2025 outlined the Council’s intentions to intervene early, prevent homelessness and ensure access to suitable alternative accommodation whenever prevention was not possible.  The Strategy supported the priorities of the Housing Strategy 2020-2025.

 

Resolved -

 

(1)    That the Housing Strategy for Reading 2020 - 2025 and Reading’s Preventing Homelessness Strategy 2020 – 2025 be approved for publication;

(2)    That the use of s106 funds collected under the Council’s Zero Carbon Homes Local Plan Policy for the purposes of local housing retrofit schemes within the Borough be approved;

 

(3)      That the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services be authorised, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport, following recommendations from the Climate Programme Board, to select the ‘retrofit’ schemes to receive s106 funds collected under the Council’s Zero Carbon Homes Local Plan Policy.

Publication date: 26/10/2020

Date of decision: 28/09/2020

Decided at meeting: 28/09/2020 - Policy Committee

Accompanying Documents: