Agenda item

            The Chairperson welcomed to the meeting Ms. S. McCauley (Director of Regional Services), Mrs. J. Hawthorne (Belfast Regional Manager) and Ms. F. McGrath (Programme Manager), representing the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).

            Ms. McCauley introduced the members of her team and indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to notify the Council of its past year’s performance and next year’s proposals. She pointed out that, whilst the NIHE was required by statute to present to the Council, officers very much looked forward, in 2018/19, to developing further relationships with councils and other stakeholders.  She advised that the NIHE recognised the important role of the Council and stated that the Local Development Plans (LDPs) would help to provide long-term strategies to support economic and social progress and assist in the delivery of Community Plans.

            Ms. McCauley then provided the Members with a presentation on the Housing Investment Plan (HIP) for Belfast. She explained that the HIP was a four-year plan with an annual update in the intervening years, this being the third and final annual update as a new plan would be produced in 2019.  She added that in future years it was intended that the HIP would reflect the Community Planning priorities.  She advised that the current HIP provided an update on the progress of the Housing Executive and other agencies to achieve the intended outcomes, this included an overview of the housing market in Belfast, including details regarding social housing investment at a local level.  She summarised further the five themes as contained within the presentation:

·     to identify and meet housing need and demand;

·     to improve people’s homes;

·     to transform people’s lives;

·     to enable sustainable neighbourhoods; and

·     to deliver quality services.

            She then proceeded to outline the key housing issues that had been identified for Belfast, as follows:

·        an ageing population;

·        a slight decrease in waiting list, higher proportion in housing stress  10,136 total applicants – 7,336 in housing stress;

·        Increasing homelessness -

5879 households presented as homeless

3940 (67%) accepted as homeless (20% increase);

·        468 new social homes completed 2017/18; 

·        424 new social homes started in 2017/18;

·        484 new social housing units programmed 2018/19;

·        City centre developments and affordable housing;

·        land availability;

·        delivery through the Local Development Plan;

·        increase in private rented sector; and

·        total Housing Executive stock - 25,761 units.

            The Committee noted the future housing themes that had been identified by the NIHE as follows:

·        to identify new housing requirements;

·        to increase the supply of affordable renting to meet the needs of communities;

·        to assist home ownership;

·        to improve the quality of the housing stock;

·        to develop low carbon homes and reduce fuel poverty;

·        to provide suitable accommodation and support services for vulnerable residents;

·        to ensure that homelessness was prevented or addressed effectively;

·        to regenerate neighbourhoods;

·        to create safer and cohesive communities; and 

·        to deliver better services.

            Following a query in respect of shared housing, Mrs. Hawthorne advised that the NIHE would continue to facilitate and encourage mixed housing schemes, as far as this was practical, desirable and safe. She detailed that the shared housing ethos would be further embedded via delivery of the target of 200-shared social housing units each year and confirmed that the Housing Executive would continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department for Communities and Housing Associations to ensure delivery.  In addition:

·        all new schemes would be fully integrated into the local area via development and delivery of the Good Relations Plans for each scheme; and 

·        the Housing Executive would continue its work to improve segregation in existing Housing Executive Estates via its team of Good Relations Officers across NI and the delivery of its cohesion strategy and associated programmes.

            The Members also drew the attention of the officers from the NIHE to several further matters, a number of which are set out hereunder:

·        the loss of open space due to the significant demand for additional housing in specific areas and the potential to consider green field sites outside the Council boundary;

·        flash flooding throughout the City;

·        the cost of private rentals (usually higher than NIHE); and

·        delays in undertaking planned maintenance works.

             Ms. McCauley concluded the presentation by advising that many of the HIP themes were complementary to the Council’s Community Planning themes and could contribute to the achievements of the Community Planning outcomes.  She stated that the Housing Executive looked forward to continuing to develop its relations with the Council and other stakeholders and that it intended to build lasting housing solutions that would benefit all communities. 

            The Chairperson thanked the officials from NIHE for attending and they left the meeting. 

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.