Agenda and minutes

To be notified of the appointment of any Substitute Members.

There were no substitute members reported.

You are invited to declare any registerable and/or non-registerable interests in matters appearing on the agenda, and the nature of that interest.

You are also invited to disclose any dispensation in relation to any registerable and/or non-registerable interests that have been granted to you in respect of any matters appearing on the agenda.

Please complete the Declarations of Interests card available at the meeting and return it to the Democratic Services Officer before leaving the meeting.

There were no declarations or dispensations reported.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2022.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting on 24 January 2022 be agreed as a correct record.

To provide Housing sub-committee with details of changes to the Affordable Homes Programme and provide an update on delivery of affordable homes in 2021/22 and plans for 2022/23.

The sub-committee received a report which provided details of changes to the Affordable Homes Programme and an update on the delivery of affordable homes in 2021/22 and plans for 2022/23.

By the end of 2021/22 it was expected that 1,916 affordable homes would have been delivered as part of the affordable homes programme, including 573 homes directly delivered by the Authority.  This represented a 135% improvement on the ten years prior to the programme starting.

The Our North Tyneside Plan 2021-25, agreed by full Council in September 2021, had increased the affordable homes delivery target from 3,000 (as set in October 2013) homes to 5,000 homes and confirmed a commitment to reduce the number of derelict properties across the borough.  To meet this challenge, the homes would be delivered in two phases.

Phase one would see the delivery of a further 2,000 affordable homes bringing the phase one total to 4,000 by 2032.  This would include the delivery of a ten-year Housing Revenue Account (HRA) plan that would deliver around 350 new Council homes, utilising new technology to reduce carbon emissions, supporting the Authority’s work in response to the climate emergency declaration.

The sub-committee was informed that Phase two of the plan would consist of several workstreams to deliver the additional 1,000 homes, including:

·         Identifying potential ‘windfall’ opportunities for both the Authority and private developers;

·         Exploring the potential of brownfield sites that could be used to provide new affordable homes;

·         Increasing the number of derelict properties that are brought back as affordable homes; and

·         Further increasing the delivery of affordable homes through the North Tyneside Trading Company Limited

In 2021/22, 266 new affordable homes were delivered.  A full breakdown of the overall delivery programme was appended to the report.  The Authority, through the HRA, had built 12 new homes and converted 11 empty homes into 7 affordable homes in 2021/22.

The Authority had continued to bring back derelict and empty homes for use as affordable homes.  This included targeting long-term properties and working with owners struggling to maintain their rental properties.  In 2021/22, 8 long-term empty properties were returned to use as affordable homes by the Authority.

It was highlighted that the Authority continued to work closely with Registered Providers and Care Providers to identify opportunities to meet housing need in the Borough.  One of the examples of this was the completion of 50 affordable homes by Riverside Housing on the site of West Chirton industrial estate, North Shields.  The homes were a mix of affordable rent and intermediate affordable housing.

The largest volume of homes within Phase One of the programme would be delivered by private developers who were subject to ever changing market conditions.  The decisions on when to bring forward large sites for development was not within the Authority’s direct control and the affordable homes programme was heavily reliant on the strategic sites at Murton Gap and Killingworth Moor coming forward.  In 2021/22 a total of 54 new homes had been delivered across North Tyneside by private  ...  view the full minutes text for item HO27/22

To consider a report and presentation updating on the work of the Safer North Tyneside Partnership.

The sub-committee received a report in relation to the Safer North Tyneside Partnership’s progress and plans for the year ahead, following a refresh in the context of the challenges posed by the pandemic.  The Housing sub-committee had been designated as the Council’s crime and disorder committee since 2014. 

The Safer North Tyneside Partnership served as the local community safety partnership for the borough.  There was a duty on responsible authorities to work together, with other agencies, to tackle crime, disorder, substance misuse and reoffending within the community.  There was an approved strategy in place, delivered using an annual work plan, informed by a strategic assessment.

Following the unique challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic the partnership was taking the opportunity to reflect on a significant period of disruption and change, understanding how communities had been affected, and to refresh its approach to build back better to meet challenges ahead.

Over the last few months there had been a number of matters that had emerged that the partnership had included within its thinking, including:

·         A new Our North Tyneside council plan which focussed on new themes designed to address the priorities of residents and the challenges resulting from Covid-19;

·         A new Police and Crime Plan which focussed on tackling crime and supporting victims;

·         The introduction of a Domestic Abuse Act and the statutory duties included within it.  It was noted that domestic violence was difficult to measure and was more prevalent in lockdown;

·         Heightened concern about anti-social behaviour from residents and elected members which arose during the pandemic;

·         Preparing for a new Series Violence Duty set to be introduced by new legislation;

·         The safety of women and girls in public places; and

·         Concerns about the potentially increasing risk of radicalisation and extremism as a consequence of measure introduced to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Partners had agreed to develop a crime reduction plan and take a public health approach to tackling crime and disorder.  This had been adopted as a model of best practice in other parts of the country where the link between inherent socio-economic factors and crime in an area have been made and the response to that strengthened.  The council, as coordinator of the partnership, was finalising a senior management restructure within part of its business.  This would see the Director of Public Health take on responsibility for community safety, to add strategic capacity and to build on the work already underway in establishing a new domestic abuse board.

Whilst the partnership had taken the opportunity to embark on a period of change, work against the priorities set out within the community safety strategy had progressed within the context of the pandemic.  This included:

·         An approved approach to Prevent by refreshing the Channel process in line with the introduction of new Home Office guidance;

·         Addressing the spike in anti-social behaviour at the coast during Covid-19 lockdowns through the council-led multi-agency Operation Coast Watch initiative;

·         Steering young people away from crime using the Project Vita initiative, instrumental in  ...  view the full minutes text for item HO28/22