Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting held on
Monday 2nd December 2013 at 7 pm in the Village Hall.
Present: Kate Green, Sue Glasse, Carol Handley, Kieran O'Callaghan, Alison Pritchard, Schuyler Newstead, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Mark Deas, Cambridgeshire ACRE, Cllr Robin Page and, in the Chair, Paul Tebbit,
Apologies: Cllr Kindersley, John White, Gemma Spencer, Clive Dalton.
Mr Deas thanked the Council for inviting him to the meeting to discuss a new Housing Needs Survey for the Eversdens. He explained that within Cambridgeshire ACRE he worked with 5 Local Authorities including SCDC and 10 Housing Associations to deliver Affordable Housing. In terms of Rural Exception Sites firstly the Parish Council and the Community need to be engaged. The survey is then completed, sites are found and the scheme is developed.
Mr Deas went on to explain the survey. The objectives are firstly to canvas opinion, secondly to understand the nature and scale of the need and from this gauge a better understanding of the need.
The survey itself is posted to every address in the Parish; it is anonymous, therefore addressed to 'Dear Householder'. Question 2 asks if the household supports the development and further asks if they would support a similar scheme including private dwellings to subsidise the scheme as affordable housing is built at a higher cost but generates lower income.
The Householder is then asked if their current housing is suitable. If it is then the survey is complete and can be sent back. Those householders who respond that the property is not suitable are then asked a series of additional question including the make up of the household; who would be in new house; what type of property they are looking for. This gives an idea of scale and nature and the results are then integrated with the housing register, however the housing register is not as accurate as it could be for affordable housing as some people do not apply to the register.
Typically the survey produced a 20-25% response and Cambridgeshire ACRE work with the Parish Council to promote survey, which is sent to Householders with a letter from both ACRE and the Parish Council.
Once the surveys are received back the data is inputed and a report produced. ACRE then delivers their findings to the Parish Council. Part of the discussion would focus on the comments given by Parishioners at Section 2 as to why or why they didn't support the proposal.
Mr Deas then opened the floor to questions.
Mr Tebbit asked whether there was any cost incurred by the Parish Council for the survey. Mr Deas informed the meeting that there was no cost and the cost is borne by the Housing Association leading the development.
Mrs Glasse asked if others with a connection to the Village were able to complete a survey. Mr Deas explained that if householders had adults with a connection to the Village they would then request further forms. Adult children currently living with parents would be recorded within the survey also.
Robin Page indicated that although housing was earmarked as 'affordable' it often was not. He asked Mr Deas to clarify what was affordable. Mr Deas said that affordable property is made available at 50-60% of market rent however it was more often nearly 80%. He added that the benefit system was in place to help certain households.
Mr Bridgewater asked what could be done to ensure that the houses went to local people. Mr Deas explained that when an Exception site is sold for housing a local connection clause is written into the 106 Agreement. Therefore only those with a close local connection can apply. Only when the local connection has been exhausted via the Housing Register will surplus houses be offered to neighbouring parishes. Exception site housing is also not does carry a 'Right to Buy'. Mr Bridgewater went on to ask what happened if tenants circumstances changed and it was felt the tenant no longer needed to be in affordable housing. Mrs Newstead said that the Housing Association would own the property and many carried out 5 yearly reviews of their tenants. If the tenant needed to be moved on this would be done by the Housing Association through the Courts.
Mrs Pritchard asked Mrs Newstead if there is a difference between new Council housing and Affordable housing, Mrs Newstead indicated they were the same. Mrs Newstead also informed the meeting that SCDC are currently building one-bedroom homes for people affected by the welfare reforms, therefore freeing up larger family homes.
As Accent Nene are the developers of the site it would seem logical to invite them to the next meeting when Mr Deas presents the results of the survey.
The survey will be circulated to both Parishes as we meet as one Council, although householders can distinguish themselves as Little or Great on the survey. The survey will make no mention of OSP 148 as it is about need as opposed to land and the survey will be non-site specific. However if other sites are available the Parish Council needs to be made aware.
Realistically Mr Deas thought it best to send out the survey in January. He would however have the covering letter ready for our meeting on 16th December.
The Parish Council unanimously agreed to proceed with the Survey.