Decision details

Question 1

Cllr Wade asked the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services whether she could give reassurance that the existing and any future Conservative led administration would not borrow money to build council housing only to see it lost under the "Right to Buy" scheme. 

The Portfolio Holder reported that the current Administration was determined to deliver new homes to address the need for affordable housing. The Council would utilise its existing HRA reserves, capital receipts and prudent borrowing in order to do this.

The Right to Buy Scheme had been set through national legislation. The number of new homes the Council planned to acquire and build in the future far outweighed those that would be lost through Right to Buy. 

Question 2

Cllr Steele asked the Portfolio Holder for Local Economic Development, Property & Innovation how existing District Council assets were being maximised for the benefit of the New Forest community. 

The Portfolio Holder explained that the Economic Development Strategy recognised that there was an undersupply of suitable business units in the District, which restricted economic growth.  He gave examples of the Council was helping to deliver repurposed modern business centres which would enable job creation, business growth and the development of local skills.  In addition, the Council held 23 commercial properties valued at approximately £9.6 million, providing annual rental income of £673,000, a gross yield of 7%.  The total income received from all non-housing leases was approximately £900,000 per annum.

The Council had also disposed of land which was surplus to operational requirements, including a former car park sold for £1.95 million and another site for £675,000.

The Portfolio Holder reported that the achievements would not have been possible without the hard work of staff.  The Council’s Economic Development Strategy set out ways to maximise assets in the District.