Cllr Baker-Smith will be calling on members at Wednesday’s Isle of Wight full council to support a motion updating the council’s key corporate priorities to include the delivery of affordable rented housing.
Her motion reads,
To provide housing that meets the local community’s needs, this Council resolves to add to its key corporate priorities an additional objective to promote and prioritise the delivery of affordable rented housing. In accordance with adding this objective:-.
That Full Council supports the Executive member in asking the Executive:
- To continue to work with key stakeholders and partners to enable delivery.
- To explore options for the formation of a Limited Liability Partnership or such other structure as may be appropriate to facilitate the delivery of housing.
- To explore options for the formation of a housing revenue account and capital investment programme in housing.
- To take a strategic approach to land release to enable the delivery of affordable housing.
- To take any such other steps as may be necessary to ensure the delivery of appropriate affordable rented housing.
Starter homes a non-starter
At last week’s Scrutiny (read our coverage) and Executive committee meetings, Cllr Geoff Lumley expressed his concern and objection – under the proposed terms – to the sale of land at Taylor Road, Carisbrooke to Spectrum Housing.
The Executive agreed the sale of the land to Spectrum for £1.597 million. The housing association will build 49 units on the land comprising 61% affordable housing (15 homes for affordable rent; 15 homes for shared ownership) and 39% starter homes (19 units).
Cllr Lumley argued that starters homes with a price tag of around £175,000 are not affordable to young families living on the Isle of Wight.
According to the latest statistics (in 2015) from the Office of National Statistics, the Gross median income on the Isle of Wight is just under £25,000.
