Decision Maker: Executive, Council

Outcome: Recommmend Forward to Council

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: July 17, 2025

Purpose: Commencing work to develop a strategy for improving housing outcomes in Westborough and Park Barn area through the following steps:   1.     Community conversation with residents so we can make better decisions about where to invest and how to use funding and support in ways that really make a difference to your community. 2.     Ongoing community engagement and analysis of various improvement strategy feasibility options which might include upgrades to homes; redevelopment opportunities; improvements to public spaces and roads/pathways. 3.     Development of detailed long-term improvement strategy through ongoing community engagement.    

Content: Decision: 1.       Approve the Westborough & Park Barn Better Homes Programme provided as Appendix 1 to this report; and 2.       Recommend to full Council (meeting 29 July 2025) that it RESOLVE to: Authorise expenditure of up to £275k from the Housing Revenue Account Revenue Fund to fund Phase 1 of the 'Westborough & Park Barn Better Homes Programme', including community engagement activities and feasibility work to get to Outline Business Case (OBC) stage. Reason(s): 1.       The Westborough and Park Barn Better Homes Programme is needed to address various issues with the Council’s housing stock in the Westborough & Park Barn area. The key issues are described in detail in Appendix 1, in summary these include: a)     most notably – severe structural issues; b)     poor environmental performance; c)     accessibility issues; d)     high number of long-term voids not viable for re-letting in their current state; e)     the financial strain on Council’s HRA caused by the current number of voids. 2.       The recommendation will support the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Strategy (2024-2034) by facilitating the delivery of decent affordable homes. 3.       The Westborough and Park Barn Better Homes Programme has the potential to be a key scheme enabling the delivery of significant improvements to social housing in the area through extensive community engagement. This is an opportunity to establish a long-term plan for improving the quality and increasing quantity of council homes for the local residents addressing the current issues as well as ensuring good quality homes for the future generations of council tenants. 4.       Various options were considered - please refer to Section 8 in this report and Appendix 1 for the details. We believe the recommended route forward has the potential to achieve most strategic objectives and unlock the potential for significantly improving the existing housing stock as well as providing an ambitious programme of new good quality sustainable affordable council homes, developed through ongoing engagement with local residents and communities. Other options considered and rejected by the Executive: Options a, b, and c. Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted: None.