Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received.

To be apprised of any changes to the membership of the Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.

There were no changes to the Membership of the Committee.

Note, no other business is permitted unless, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified at the meeting, the Chairman is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

If a Member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Legal and Democratic Services Manager in advance of the meeting.   (For the assistance of members a checklist for use in considering their position on any particular item is included at the end of this agenda sheet).

There were no Declarations of Interest received.

To receive as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2022.

AGREED:        That the Minutes of the meeting held on the 27 April 2022 be received a as a correct record with it being noted that Councillor Jenny Wilkie was in fact the Chairman at this meeting.

Consideration was given to the Committee's Work Programme as set out on page 3 of the Book of Reports.

The Committee received an update from the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources on the Fairlie Affordable Housing Development Scheme and explained that it had recently become a Homes England Funding Requirement that sites larger than 30 units had mixed affordable tenure. Accordingly, the Scheme was now being recommended for revision with no change to the financial model previously approved by Council.

The Committee was advised that the housing service was supportive of the  revision and the scheme is highly likely to secure £2m Homes England funding as TVDL have a 100% record of securing Homes England funding for sites to date.  This additional £2m will mean TVDL will have secured £4.1m of HE funding into the Borough to support new homes over the past 2 years. 

RESOLVED:     A.  That the full business plan be submitted to Council on the 12 October 2022.

                      B.  That the date of the next meeting to be confirmed.

                      C.  That the update on Fairlie Affordable Housing Development Scheme was welcomed by Members.

It is recommended that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Note:  A request was made that the Committee should consider Agenda Items 8,9,10,11,12 in the public domain. The Committee considered the request and considered that the reports should be discussed in Part 2.

RESOLVED:    That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources as contained on pages 5 to 20 of the Book of Reports which set out a series of recommendations to both reset and refocus the aims and objectives of TVDL in line with Shareholder aspirations.

Comments and questions were raised in respect of the following:

• The awarding of work directly to TVDL
• Ownership and development of the business plan, which would have to come through Council.
• Specification for any work undertaken by TVDL on behalf of the Council.
• Current vacancies in Housing, what capacity currently there is and the opportunities fortraining up of junior members of staff.
• Discussion re the Digmoor Revival Scheme.
• Regeneration issues in the Borough and investment in current stock. ,
• The need to build houses that are going to last and to a high specification
• Whether a development company would be the preferred route to achieve Council objectives and whether this would be the best option moving forward.
• Continuing to develop our relationship with Homes England.
• Amount of external funding brought in.
• Amount of people on the Council's current housingwaiting list.
• The need to see an updated projected profit and loss account.
• Local plan – struggling for sites in the Borough to meet our housing needs.
• It was felt that paragraph 8.3 be slightly re worded as it was felt that it was inappropriate to build outside the Borough. This was moved and seconded and that a recommendation be taken to full Council not to build outside of the Borough.
• The Business Plan and whether it would come back to this Committee prior to being taken to full Council.
• Method of tendering.
• Option of TVDL developing or other local authorities or Housing Association and the payment methods for this type of work.

RESOLVED:   A.   That the Officer be thanked for a very comprehensive report.

                       B.   That the revised aim for TVDL set out in paragraph 8.3 of the report should be amended so that the Company will only undertake work within West Lancashire.

                       C. That the Committee supported TVDL undertaking work for other Local Authorities and Registered Providers outside  the Borough.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director Housing, Transformation and Resources as contained on pages 21 to 28 of the Book of Reports the purpose of which was to set out a proposal to amend the fee being charged to the Council for development services, and to ensure it accurately corresponds to the costs TVDL incurs in delivering those services.

A comment was raised in respect of the following:

·         The awarding of work directly to TVDL

RESOLVED:        A.   That the option set out at paragraph 5.8 C be approved in terms of a cost recovery approach, as the developer fee to be paid by the Council to TVDL for providing its development services.

                              B.  That the model of time recording as outlined at paragraph 5.10 be endorsed.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director Housing, Transformation and Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources as contained on pages 29 to 34 of the Book of Reports the purpose of which was to consider a new approach to the management of cash and borrowing by TVDL.

Comments and questions were raised in respect of:

·         Fixed term loans and variable rates of interest

·         Connected parties

·         Future borrowing

RESOLVED:        That the proposed new approach to cash holdings and borrowing be endorsed.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources as contained on pages 35 to 44 of the Book of Reports which set out an update on the progress that had been made on the recommendations set out in the independent review of TVDL.

RESOLVED:             That the progress update be noted.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Housing, Transformation and Resources as contained on pages 65 to 72 of the Book of Reports which set out two options for consideration for the disposal/development of land at Much Hoole,

The Committee discussed the report and comments and questions were raised in the respect of the following:

·         Risks involved

·         A Member had no concerns on either Option 1 or Option 2 as set out in the report

·         Investment time of our staff

RESOLVED:            That Option 1 of the report be endorsed.