Issue - meetings

          The Board received a report from the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, which provided a progress update on the new Housing Strategy for the Borough.

          Following the approval for production of a new Housing Strategy at the Council’s Executive Board in April 2024, Board members were advised that Arc4, a housing research policy specialist, had been commissioned to support the production process of the Strategy.  This had commenced in September 2024 and consisted of two stages, the first being a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) which included undertaking a household survey of residents in Halton. 

The survey took place between November and December 2024 and was sent to 16,530 households.  1,620 useable responses were received  (9.8% response rate).  It covered 4 broad themes:

• Your home, neighbourhood and household;
• Housing history;
• Future housing requirements: whole household; and
• Future housing requirements: newly forming households.

          The main purpose of the survey was to provide evidence to help assess housing need by type, size and tenure within different parts of the Borough. 

          The Housing Strategy was currently in the draft process (Stage 2) and once completed, an informal stakeholder engagement would be undertaken in June/July 2025, followed by a formal 6 week public consultation in July/August 2025; the final revisions and adoption was planned for September/October 2025.

          RESOLVED:  That the Board:

1)    note the progress of the new Boroughwide Housing Strategy; and

2)    promote participation in the Stakeholder and Formal Public Consultation process.