Agenda item - Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy providing a summary of the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey that was undertaken for the Council in 2023 and presenting the options available to the Council to address the key conclusions set out in the survey report.

RESOLVED that:

(1) the contents of the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey are noted;

(2) the overarching conclusion set out in the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey report that the condition of housing stock across Gloucester is generally good compared with the national picture, is noted;

(3) it is noted that despite the positive feedback on housing conditions, there remain pockets of poor housing across the city that impact on the health and well-being of residents across all tenures;

(4) the improvement of housing standards since the previous Private Sector Stock Condition Survey in 2011 is noted;

(5) the following recommendations to address the key conclusions set out in the survey report are agreed:

a) the Council will continue to target resources to maintain and improve housing standards and environmental issues in Barton and Tredworth;

b) officers continue to work to bring empty homes back into use with a focus on empty dwellings in Kingsholm and Wotton, and Barton and Tredworth;

c) the Planning Committee will determine whether there is a business case for an Article 4 Direction to be introduced to manage the conversion of existing dwellings to small HMOs in one or more areas of the city;

d) the Council continues to support the Warm and Well Partnership to deliver energy efficiency advice and improvements to residents across Gloucester;

e) officers explore opportunities to partner with an ethical low-cost loan organisation to deliver home repair and improvement loans (including Sharia compliant finance) to residents;

(6) the high level of support and co-operation of households that agreed to participate in the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey is acknowledged.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy that provided a summary of the Private Sector Stock Condition Survey that was undertaken for the Council in 2023 and presented the options available to address the key conclusions set out in the survey report.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy reminded Members that this very comprehensive survey (Appendix 2) was the first since 2011 (Appendix 3) and would assist in forming housing strategy and policies over the coming years. She thanked those residents who had allowed their homes to be assessed and made it clear that the survey would not have been possible without their cooperation. The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy noted that the condition of the stock was found to be generally good in comparison to the national picture and significant improvements had been made since 2011. She expressed gratitude to the Private Sector Housing Team for their tireless work and urged anyone aware of properties that might not meet the decent home standard to contact the Council with their concerns.

The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources drew Members’ attention to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Appendix 4) and advised that the proposed briefing to Councillors be timed so as not to overwhelm newly elected Members. The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure stated that the survey would help residents get the decent, dry, and mould-free home that everyone deserves. The Cabinet Member for Environment informed Members that he believed it to be a great report that would enable good work to improve homes.