Agenda item

The following motion has been proposed by Councillor G Saffery and seconded by Mayor Taylor:

“Council Notes that:

Watford Council was recently identified, alongside 58 other Councils, by the Conservative government as failing the 'Housing Delivery Test.'.

Despite the fact that over 700 new homes have been constructed in the Borough in each of the last two years measured by this test, the Conservatives have opted to punish Watford Borough Council for apparently not building enough, requiring the council to produce an ‘action plan’ and continuing to place us under the 'presumption in favour of sustainable development.'

This will further weaken local control over the type of development that is appropriate for our area and could lead to more applications for increasingly tall buildings. It also significantly weakens the Council’s hand when defending appeals against our decisions to refuse proposals that do not adequately meet local policy or housing need.

The Council has made significant efforts to meet local demand through our award-winning Local Plan, approved by the Government’s own planning inspectorate and adopted by this Council in November 2022.

However the Conservatives’ approach unfairly penalises these efforts to actively contribute to solving the housing crisis. It rides roughshod over local policy, compromising both the quality and affordability of new homes and increasing the density of development in areas like Watford that are already built up. It increases the burden on local infrastructure without the requisite investment from national government to support it. Perversely, the Government’s approach even fails to prioritise the area of most acute need – the provision of family-sized social and affordable housing units. 

The Council expresses its dismay at the government's continuing punitive measures despite our constructive efforts to address the national housing shortage – prioritising sustainability, affordability and quality through our local plan.

Council strongly voices its concerns regarding the overly-centralised planning system, emphasising the fact that local councils doing their part to deliver new homes should not face unwarranted punishment.

Council acknowledges that some local councils are contributing almost nothing to addressing national housing shortages, and yet it is councils making substantial efforts that bear the brunt of penalties.

Council resolves to:

1.      Ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, seeking assurance that local councils with strong and up to date local policies to address housing need will not be subject to punitive measures.

2.      Ask the Secretary of State to reform national policy to make housing targets fairer and more evenly spread.

3.      Urge the government to consider the impact of cuts on local councils and to provide support rather than punitive measures for those actively working towards meeting housing targets.

This motion aims to safeguard local councils from unjust sanctions, instigate a fairer assessment of housebuilding efforts, and encourage closer dialogue between Local and UK government to address the housing crisis more effectively.”

The following motion had been proposed by Councillor Glen Saffery and seconded by Mayor Taylor:

“Council Notes that:

Watford Council was recently identified, alongside 58 other Councils, by the Conservative government as failing the 'Housing Delivery Test.'.

Despite the fact that over 700 new homes have been constructed in the Borough in each of the last two years measured by this test, the Conservatives have opted to punish Watford Borough Council for apparently not building enough, requiring the council to produce an ‘action plan’ and continuing to place us under the 'presumption in favour of sustainable development.'

This will further weaken local control over the type of development that is appropriate for our area and could lead to more applications for increasingly tall buildings. It also significantly weakens the Council’s hand when defending appeals against our decisions to refuse proposals that do not adequately meet local policy or housing need.

The Council has made significant efforts to meet local demand through our award-winning Local Plan, approved by the Government’s own planning inspectorate and adopted by this Council in November 2022.

However the Conservatives’ approach unfairly penalises these efforts to actively contribute to solving the housing crisis. It rides roughshod over local policy, compromising both the quality and affordability of new homes and increasing the density of development in areas like Watford that are already built up. It increases the burden on local infrastructure without the requisite investment from national government to support it. Perversely, the Government’s approach even fails to prioritise the area of most acute need – the provision of family-sized social and affordable housing units. 

The Council expresses its dismay at the government's continuing punitive measures despite our constructive efforts to address the national housing shortage – prioritising sustainability, affordability and quality through our local plan.

Council strongly voices its concerns regarding the overly-centralised planning system, emphasising the fact that local councils doing their part to deliver new homes should not face unwarranted punishment.

Council acknowledges that some local councils are contributing almost nothing to addressing national housing shortages, and yet it is councils making substantial efforts that bear the brunt of penalties.

Council resolves to:

1.                  Ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, seeking assurance that local councils with strong and up to date local policies to address housing need will not be subject to punitive measures.

2.                  Ask the Secretary of State to reform national policy to make housing targets fairer and more evenly spread.

3.                  Urge the government to consider the impact of cuts on local councils and to provide support rather than punitive measures for those actively working towards meeting housing targets.

This motion aims to safeguard local councils from unjust sanctions, instigate a fairer assessment of housebuilding efforts, and encourage closer dialogue between Local and UK government to address the housing crisis more effectively.”

Members debated the motion.

On being put to Council the motion was agreed.

RESOLVED –

Council notes that:

Watford Council was recently identified, alongside 58 other Councils, by the Conservative government as failing the 'Housing Delivery Test.'.

Despite the fact that over 700 new homes have been constructed in the Borough in each of the last two years measured by this test, the Conservatives have opted to punish Watford Borough Council for apparently not building enough, requiring the council to produce an ‘action plan’ and continuing to place us under the 'presumption in favour of sustainable development.'

This will further weaken local control over the type of development that is appropriate for our area and could lead to more applications for increasingly tall buildings. It also significantly weakens the Council’s hand when defending appeals against our decisions to refuse proposals that do not adequately meet local policy or housing need.

The Council has made significant efforts to meet local demand through our award-winning Local Plan, approved by the Government’s own planning inspectorate and adopted by this Council in November 2022.

However the Conservatives’ approach unfairly penalises these efforts to actively contribute to solving the housing crisis. It rides roughshod over local policy, compromising both the quality and affordability of new homes and increasing the density of development in areas like Watford that are already built up. It increases the burden on local infrastructure without the requisite investment from national government to support it. Perversely, the Government’s approach even fails to prioritise the area of most acute need – the provision of family-sized social and affordable housing units. 

The Council expresses its dismay at the government's continuing punitive measures despite our constructive efforts to address the national housing shortage – prioritising sustainability, affordability and quality through our local plan.

Council strongly voices its concerns regarding the overly-centralised planning system, emphasising the fact that local councils doing their part to deliver new homes should not face unwarranted punishment.

Council acknowledges that some local councils are contributing almost nothing to addressing national housing shortages, and yet it is councils making substantial efforts that bear the brunt of penalties.

Council resolves to:

1.                  Ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, seeking assurance that local councils with strong and up to date local policies to address housing need will not be subject to punitive measures.

2.                  Ask the Secretary of State to reform national policy to make housing targets fairer and more evenly spread.

3.                  Urge the government to consider the impact of cuts on local councils and to provide support rather than punitive measures for those actively working towards meeting housing targets.

This motion aims to safeguard local councils from unjust sanctions, instigate a fairer assessment of housebuilding efforts, and encourage closer dialogue between Local and UK government to address the housing crisis more effectively.