To receive Report No. 88/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport.

That Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED the First Homes Informal Planning Guidance at Appendix A.

2.    DELEGATED authority to the Director of Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing to review and amend the criteria list set out in the report.

Report No. 88/2022 was introduced by Councillor L Stephenson, Leader of the Council, on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport. Whilst the introduction of First Homes is mandatory, Government guidance allows for some flexibility in local implementation. The proposed guidance for Rutland, set out in Appendix A, recommended the inclusion of local connection and key worker criteria. Paragraph 3.7 within the report showed the list of eligible professions and Members had a couple of questions around the criteria list.

Councillor K Payne felt it was heavily weighted towards the public sector rather than the private sector. Penny Sharp, Strategic Director for Places responded saying that those in the list are given first preference in terms of marketing for the first 3 months. The guidance does not exclude anybody else who is a first-time buyer from participating in the scheme, it just gives preference to that eligible group.

Councillor S Harvey raised her concerns regarding the criteria list explaining that she felt it did not mirror where younger people would be working within Rutland. It excluded Hospitality and Tourism and was restricted on retail. It did include food, fuel, and medical distribution drivers but not the actual key workers who are working in local shops within Rutland.

Members felt the criteria list did exclude lists of people who could not participate in the scheme and wanted it to be fair for all.

The Chair made an amendment to the original recommendation to delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing to review and amend the criteria list set out in the report.

It was proposed by Councillor L Stephenson that the recommendations of report No. 88/2022 be agreed, this was seconded and upon being put to the vote the motion was unanimously agreed

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1. APPROVED the First Homes Informal Planning Guidance at Appendix A.

DELEGATED authority to the Director of Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Housing to review and amend the criteria list set out in the report.