The Housing, Health & Community Committee of Brentwood Council met on 8 September 2025 to discuss a range of issues, including housing policy reviews, community safety, and the Strategic Housing Delivery Programme. The committee was also scheduled to discuss performance reports, updates on various projects, and a community governance review.

Strategic Housing Delivery Programme (SHDP)

The committee was scheduled to consider a proposal regarding the remaining sites within the Strategic Housing Delivery Programme (SHDP). The proposal suggested proceeding with the remaining SHDP sites, utilising the appropriate Building Regulations (2022), while still meeting the SHDP strategy of building 50% of the programme to Net Zero Carbon Standards through Brookfield Close and Willingale Close.

The report pack noted that this proposal was prompted by significant inflationary pressures that have increased build costs since the programme's inception, placing strain on the SHDP budget and the wider Housing Revenue Account (HRA). It also noted that the current Building Regulations (2022) are more rigorous than the Building Regulations (2013) and that the performance gap to net carbon zero in use has significantly narrowed.

Of the six SHDP sites (Brookfield Close, Harewood Road, Willingale Close, Highwood Close, Sir Francis Way, and Ingleton House – Ingatestone), Brookfield Close is already under construction, with Willingale Close intended to be built alongside, utilising economies of scale due to the close proximity of the sites.

In order to ensure the financial viability of completing the remaining sites and to preserve resources for the improvement of existing housing stock, members were asked to weigh the benefits of cost reduction in delivering the remainder of the SHDP to current Building Regulations (2022) against the ambitions of the consented schemes.

In addition, members were asked to consider scheme amendments to Harewood Road and more extensively amended scheme options on Ingleton to create developments that are more efficient to build, manage and are more practicable in use.

The report pack included the following recommendations:

• That the proposed Strategic Housing Delivery Programme (SHDP) sites Harewood, Highwood, Sir Francis Way and Ingleton proceed utilising appropriate Building Regulations (2022).
• To amend the consented scheme for Harewood Road, whilst maintaining the integrity of the original design, to create a scheme that is more efficient and practicable to build, use and maintain.
• To submit a new planning application for Ingleton, to create a scheme that is more efficient and practicable to build, use and maintain, whilst retaining and refurbishing the existing bungalows and maisonettes, retaining the central car parking area, incorporating a new terrace of houses and a new block of apartments, and reducing build heights to two storeys.

Community Governance Review

The committee was scheduled to discuss the initiation of a borough-wide Community Governance Review, including its terms of reference.

The report pack noted that a review can consider:

• Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes including town councils.
• The naming of parishes and the style of new parishes.
• The electoral arrangements for parishes.
• Council size.

The report stated that the recommendations made in any community governance review should aim to bring about improved community engagement, better local democracy and result in a more effective and convenient delivery of local services. It also noted that with pending Local Government Reorganisation, there is an opportunity for town and parish councils to play an increasing role in the area for the benefit of residents.

The committee was asked to consider the terms of reference for the review, as set out in Appendix A.

Community Safety Partnership Plan 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to discuss and endorse the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Action Plan for 2025/26, as detailed in Appendix B. The Brentwood CSP is made up of the statutory bodies of the Police, Fire and Rescue authority, Health, Probation Service and the Local Authority, who act as the strategic board to approve the CSP Strategy.

The priorities set out in the Partnership Action Plan for 2025/26 are:

• Make Our Community Safer: Anti-Social Behaviour– intervention and prevention using a range of measures.
• Make our Place Safer: Shoplifting – High Streets in the Business Improvement District, particularly Brentwood and Shenfield. Intervention and prevention using a range of measures
• Make our Environment Safer: Fly-tipping - Targeting the Borough Wards of Warley and Brizes, Stondon Massey and South Weald, including the parishes of South Weald, Navestock and Kelvedon Hatch.
• Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) and Domestic Abuse

Housing Policy Reviews

The committee was scheduled to review and approve several draft housing policies for implementation. These policies included:

• Hoarding Policy
• Management Move Policy
• Fire Safety
• Lift Safety
• Asbestos
• Heat Billing Policy

The report pack stated that each policy had been reviewed for its current efficiency and effectiveness, as well as any legislative requirements that the council must meet as a landlord. It also stated that consultation with Tenant Talkback had been conducted through both the repairs and estates panel for the relevant policies, and that any feedback and suggestions considered have been implemented.

The Fire Safety policy was updated to reflect the changes in legislation since 2022, including:

• the requirement to check all internal doors in buildings 18 metres tall or 7 storeys and above; inspections of doors in communal areas on a 3 monthly basis and individual flat entrance doors including leaseholder properties annually,
• broader criteria for when a fire risk assessment should be completed. The council has a duty to risk assess all buildings where there are 2 or more properties under one roof,
• competency of fire risk assessors.

The Management Move Policy was updated to include further details on the types of evidence that may be required supporting a request for a move, more information about the type of property tenants may be moved to and the offer details surrounding this, and details of how decisions will be made and the process for appeals.

Housing Services Formal Complaints Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to consider the Housing Services Formal Complaints Annual Report for 2024/25. The report provides an overview of formal complaints received by Housing Services, outlining complaint volumes, key themes, performance against response targets, and service improvements.

The report also incorporates cases referred to the Housing Ombudsman and Local Government Ombudsman, with recommendations added to the Council's Service Improvement Plan.

The report stated that complaints are recognised as a vital source of feedback and a driver for service improvement, and that the council uses complaint data to identify recurring issues, inform training and procedural changes, improve contractor performance and tenant engagement, and strengthen governance and accountability.

Asset of Community Value - Bishops Hill

The committee was scheduled to discuss a nomination received from Long Ridings Residents Association requesting that the land known as Bishops Hill Adult Education Centre, as indicated on the site plan in Appendix B, be listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

The report pack noted that the Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities to keep a list of assets (meaning buildings or other land) which are of community value. Once an asset is placed on the list it will usually remain there for five years. The effect of listing is that, generally speaking, an owner intending to dispose of the asset must give notice to the local authority, and a community interest group then has six weeks in which to ask to be treated as a potential bidder. If it does so, the disposal cannot take place for six months, to allow the community group time to come up with an alternative proposal.

The report sought approval to list the land as an Asset of Community Value as indicated in Appendix B.

Leisure Contract (6 month update) Presentation

A presentation was scheduled from Everyone Active to update members on the leisure contract after six months into the new contract.

2025-26 Quarter 1 Performance

The committee was scheduled to receive the 2025-26 Quarter 1 Performance report, which provides an update on progress against the Corporate Plan priority deliverables, corporate projects, key performance indicators and formal complaints for the A Place to Call Home theme.

Committee Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to note its current work programme as set out in Appendix A. Councillor Dr Tim Barrett, Chair of Housing, Health & Community Committee, advised that this report sets out the work programme for the committee for the municipal year of 2025-26.