Issue - meetings

Reporting Person – Corporate Management Group

At its meeting on 3 December 2020, the Council referred the following Notice of Motion to the Executive.

Councillor T Aziz

“Motion on viability of affordable homes

Since 2012 WBC has been relying on the opinion of a sole company to determine viability of affordable homes on site for developments. This has resulted in almost all cases being declared unviable by that company.

It’s good practise to seek multiple opinions and not limit to sole opinion.

This motion calls that WBC to employ services of more than one company to determine the viability of affordable homes in future developments before being presented to planning committee.”

Councillor Aziz attended the meeting and spoke in support of the Motion.  It was noted that a Member Briefing on Viability Assessments in Planning Applications had been arranged on 1 February 2021.  Regarding on site delivery of affordable homes, Officers advised that the Council’s policy had express provisions to set out the circumstances whereby developers could proceed without the full amount of affordable housing.  The Executive was broadly supportive of the Motion and its purpose to maintain a panel of consultants, rather than to rely on a single consultant to determine viability.  It was agreed that the Motion would be re-drafted outside of the meeting, including removal of criticism.  The amended Motion would be agreed with the Leader of the Council and Councillor Aziz ahead of Council on 11 February 2021.

RECOMMENDED to Council

That the Motion, as amended and agreed outside of the meeting by the Leader of the Council and Councillor Aziz, be supported.