Agenda item

To consider report LDS/187 of the Head of Governance Performance and People as the Council’s Petition Officer

The Full Council considered a petition which had been received by the Council’s Petitions Officer. As the petition contained over 1,000 valid signatures it was required to be debated by the Full Council. The petition stated as follows – “We, the undersigned, are appalled at Crawley Borough Council’s decision to charge council tenants so-called affordable rents at the maximum 80% of the market rate. This policy is causing unnecessary hardship and must be scrapped. Instead, we call upon the Council to borrow the money to build council houses at rents comparable to existing stock and use housing cooperatives to reduce the cost.”

The Petition related to a responsibility of the Cabinet, and as such the Cabinet was required to take the final decision.  The Full Council was to consider the petition and decide whether or not to make recommendations to inform the Cabinet’s decision.

The Mayor reminded councillors that the Constitution limited debates on petitions to 30 minutes per meeting. Robin Burnham, the Principal Petitioner, presented the petition to the Full Council (a summary of the presentation is attached as Appendix B to these minutes).

Councillor Jones, the Leader of the Council, addressed the meeting and thanked the Principal Petitioner for submitting the petition.  The following points were made:

Whilst sympathising with many of the sentiments within the petition, as of 31 March this year (including shared ownership), there were 8,071 properties, of which only 326 were charged at the affordable rate instead of the social rate.  It was noted this was a small amount of the Council’s stock, approximately 4%. The rest, existing tenants and any voids were all charged at the social rate. Even with the new units being built these were not all charged at the affordable rate with all of the new homes at Forge Wood being let at social rent rate. The Council has one of the best records in the country for bringing council housing forward. Whilst not an exhaustive list, the Council had new home developments in Breezehurst Drive, Forge Wood, the old Council depot, Bridgefield House, Apex Apartments, Dobbins Place and there were more to come. It was hoped the retrofitting for water neutrality would allow more homes in the near future as well.  It was acknowledged there were restrictions around right to buy receipts and government grants, and yet still homes were being able to be delivered. Councillor Jones thanked the officers for assisting the housing delivery programme.

None of the issues within the petition leave the Council with enough money to reduce the rent without taking it straight out the repairs budget for other tenants, who would then be subsidising all of the tenants in the affordable units too.  It would also mean that many of the important environmental implications to tackle the climate emergency would not be able to go ahead and the Council needs to action these within its housing stock. Most of the issues can only be addressed by central government but the Council still continued to do what it can as a local authority. Councillor Jones proposed that the petition be noted and this was seconded by Councillor Buck.

The Mayor then opened the debate to the floor.

Councillor Irvine acknowledged the need for more housing within the town, but it was noted that the Council had a good track record of council housing as it had performed better than the private sector and housing associations. It was thought that the best thing a council can do is to allocate a home to an individual and the Council had continued to build on its housing stock.

Councillor Crow commented that housing was a big issue within town but unfortunately, with regards to the information that Mr Burnham had quoted from the government website, it was felt councillors had not been able to ascertain facts or analyse the information prior to the meeting and yet were being requested to make a decision without the evidence.  In comparison, West Sussex County councillors were provided with an officer’s report or briefing note to help inform them in advance of considering the petition. Councillor Crow moved that councillors receive a briefing note containing background information on the petition. This was seconded by Councillor McCarthy.

Councillor Burgess felt that additional evidence would be welcomed via a background paper as this was a very important matter and one that residents deserve to know the Council has taken seriously.

Councillor Lanzer commented that it was under the Conservative administration in 2012 that the Council borrowed money, with the support of Labour opposition, to exit the HRA subsidy regime as part of the Localism Act 2011.  The Council received an interest payment which enabled better maintenance of the housing new build programme. Whilst the petition had mentioned borrowing, decisions had previously been taken which had already been beneficial for the existing housing stock and for the addition of houses to that stock.

Councillor Buck noted that government grants had been used to fund the affordable homes and it was a condition of that grant that the Council set affordable not social rents. There was no flexibility due to government policy.

The Mayor called time on the debate at the conclusion of the 30 minute period. The Mayor confirmed that there had been two proposal options moved and seconded during the debate, by Councillor Jones and Councillor Crow respectively. It was also confirmed that the two proposals did not conflict with each other and individual votes would be held on each. The Full Council was reminded that the Constitution states that ‘all petitions considered by the Full Council will be subject to a recorded vote where the decision is not unanimous’.

The Mayor called for a recorded vote on Councillor Jones’ proposal of noting the petition and invited the Democracy and Data Manager to commence the recorded voting process.

For: Councillors Ayling, Buck, Hart, Irvine, Jhans, Jones, K Khan, Y Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, Malik, C Mullins, Nawaz, Noyce, Pritchard, Raja, Rana and Sivarajah (18)

Against: Councillors Ali, A Belben, T Belben, Bounds, Burgess, Burrett, Crow, Jaggard, Lanzer, McCarthy, Mwagale and Peck (12)

Abstain: (0)

The proposal was carried.

The Mayor then called for a vote on the proposal moved by Councillor Crow that councillors receive a briefing note on the background to the petition. The proposal was carried unanimously and as such a recorded vote was not required.

RESOLVED

1.       That the contents of the petition and the views expressed by the principal petitioner be received.

2.       That the petition be noted.

3.       That councillors receive a briefing note on the background to the petition.