Purpose

To submit draft Housing Strategy to members
for consideration.

Content

The Cabinet considered
a report of the Director of Economy and Place which sought approval
of the Interim Housing Strategy 2025 – 2027 for the Borough
of Rochdale.
 
The Head of Strategic
Housing (Property) was in attendance to
present the information and to address the questions and the
comments of the Cabinet Members.
 
The Officer informed
that the Interim Housing Strategy 2025-2027 would replace the
previous Housing Strategy which was now
out of date. Whilst the replacement strategy built on similar
themes, it was produced within a new housing
context and promoted a prevention-led holistic approach to
providing strategic housing solutions into the future.
 
The Officer further
informed that in 2022 Rochdale Council had declared a housing
emergency; there was currently a national housing crisis and
immediate focus was therefore required.
 
Given the immediate
requirement for a new Rochdale housing strategy, the proposed
Interim Housing Strategy 2025-2027 was
based on primary strategic objectives and commitments, to
work towards dealing with the immediate crisis within the next 3
years. It was intended that this strategy would be followed by a
10 year strategy, once certain
milestones had been achieved and greater certainty on key strategic
housing issues forthcoming.
 
The adopted two-stage
approach would create strategic transparency and flexibility, to
ensure the Council was best placed to develop key programmes based
on a defined approach with operational contingency.
 
Resolved:
1.   
That the two-stage strategic approach to producing a new Housing
Strategy for the Borough of Rochdale be noted;
2.   
That the adoption of the Interim Housing Strategy 2025-2027
be approved.
 
Reason for
decision:
There was a statutory
requirement to produce a Housing Strategy; however, the primary
impetus was to provide clarity to residents, officers, members,
developers, partners and other key stakeholders as to the strategic
direction the Council had adopted in relation to strategic housing,
encompassing development and supply in particular.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
It was a statutory
requirement for a Local Authority to have a Housing Strategy under
the Local Government Act 2003. The Housing Strategy should set out
objectives, targets and policies on how the
authority intends to manage and delivery its strategic
housing role and provides an overarching framework against which
the authority considers and formulates other policies on more
specific housing issues.