Cabinet received a report of the Head of Community and Customer Services regarding an exemption to contract procedures for the procurement of Housing Stock Modelling Exercise.  There was a requirement for local authorities to understand the condition of their housing stock (all tenures) and to develop strategies to address issues of concern.

Councillor Johnson introduced the report and explained that the council was going for a different model since the last time the exercise was carried out in 2009.  Using The Building Research Establishment (BRE) would mean that instead of the usual survey of around 800 households, this time would be about being smarter with data collection using sources such as the Ordnance Survey in a stock modelling service.  It would also help to identify Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO).  The results of the survey would be more reliable data but would cost less with BRE than the previous survey had in 2009.

The Energy and Housing Renewal Surveyor explained that the exercise would be about helping us to understand what housing stock the town had, and how much it had changed in 8/9 years.  This would give huge potential for future strategies on fuel poverty and housing efficiency and would help the council to attract funding.

In response to a question from the Mayor, the Deputy Managing Director agreed to look into whether it would be possible to track changes made to properties through permitted development rights e.g., offices into residential.  He would circulate any information to members.

RESOLVED -

1.        That Cabinet notes the approved exemption to the Council’s Procurement Procedures in relation to the appointment of the BRE to carry out the specialist stock modelling exercise.

2.        That the Deputy Managing Director circulates information to members on whether it was possible to track changes to properties made under permitted development rights.