Issue - meetings

To consider a report from the Director for the Economy, a copy is attached as item 7.

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for the Economy, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 7.

This report seeks to transfer s106 contributions received from the Bayside development to the Capital Programme specifically to deliver affordable housing in the Borough.  This funding has to be used towards the delivery of affordable housing under the terms of the legal agreement but this can include the direct delivery of emergency or temporary accommodation or payment to a Registered Provider to deliver additional affordable housing.

A number of options for the use of this funding are being investigated by your Officers and it is recommended that the drawdown of the funding for specific schemes be delegated to the Executive Member for Housing.

It was noted that the figure quoted in paragraph 2.1 of the report, £1,765,800, had been increased through indexing and should be £1,948,268.

Members discussed the take up of properties in developments such as Bayside by registered social landlords (RSLs) and the high service charges associated with seafront developments. It was noted that the Councils claimed money back from developers in circumstances where properties were not taken up by RSLs which would be invested in the provision of affordable housing in Worthing. 

The recommendations, as amended, were supported by the Committee.

Decision

The Joint Strategic Committee approved a budget virement of £1,948,268 funded from the s106 monies from the Bayside development to the Worthing Borough Council Capital Programme to increase the budget for the delivery of affordable housing under the portfolios for the Executive Member for Customer Services.

Call In:

The call-in deadline for decision will be 5.00pm on 19 November 2021.