Agenda and minutes

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

To consider the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee from the Extraordinary meeting held on 7 April 2021 to review the following decision taken by Cabinet on 24 March 2021:

Transfer of properties from Spelthorne Borough Council to Knowle Green Estates Ltd.

Cabinet considered the recommendations contained in the report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee came out of its review of the following decision taken by Cabinet on 24 March 2021:

Transfer of properties from Spelthorne Borough Council to Knowle Green Estates Ltd.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Leighton, informed the Cabinet that the Committee had the scrutinised the above Cabinet decision in detail and concluded that they were supportive of the Cabinet’s decision, but that the Cabinet must have the appropriate policy documentation in place before making such decisions going forward.

Resolved that:

1.    Cabinet instruct officers to draw up the following documents:

              i.        A “Term Sheet” to set out the basis of developments and supporting policy.  A Term sheet should be required for each Spelthorne Borough Council residential development and will be created prior to planning application submission monitored and adjusted as required thereafter.

            ii.        A policy for valuation and transfers of developments.

           iii.        An interest rate policy.

           iv.        Documentation of Knowle Green Estates (KGE) depreciation policy.

2.    A Term sheet template and draft policy documents are to be presented for

approval by the Policy and Resources Committee and KGE Board as soon as

possible and no later than the end of July 2021.

3.    That Cabinet confirms that no residential housing units will be sold unless a policy to do so is formally approved by the Council.

Reason for decision:

The Cabinet has listened to the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and agrees that it is important that the Cabinet take decisions that have been clearly defined, with the right policies and that agenda reports are clearly set out with the appropriate level of detail so members are able to look back and see that all the relevant facts had been considered.

Councillor M.M. Attewell.

To consider the Key Worker Housing Policy for adoption.

Cabinet considered a report to approve the Key Worker Housing Policy.

Cabinet noted that the policy would ensure that the Council allocate these affordable homes in a fair and transparent way, in line with the Council’s existing policy of affordable housing allocation.

Cabinet acknowledged that a Equality Impact Assessment had been completed and agreed that they were satisfied with the content.

Resolved to

Reasons for decision:

The administration is committed to providing affordable homes for local key workers, with the first of these new homes being available at the initial phase of Benwell House later this month.

In putting the policy together, officers have considered independent research into Spelthorne’s local key worker population, as well as the operational practicalities of delivering a key worker housing scheme.