Motions paper attached.

A.   HOUSING

Amendment by the Conservative Group CARRIED by 29 votes to 9; amendment by Conservative Group AGREED as substantive motion, without division.

B.   GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY

Amendment by Conservartive Group CARRIED by 29 votes to 10; amendment by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 27 votes to 8; amendment by Conservative Group AGREED as substantive motion without division.

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

The Coalition Administration's promotion of the council booklet “Havering – Making a Greater London” that includes a “Visionary” commitment to support the building of 30,000 properties in Havering is premature and a mistake. Premature, because this “Vision” has not been explicitly endorsed by Council and a mistake, because to build that many properties would require the construction of nearly 1,700 per year, 530 more than Mayoral target of 1,170 per year.

Presently, we have introduced two large GLA housing zones plus various sites under an ambitious Council “re-build our council estates” programme that will total around 11,000 properties, even without the provision of the necessary infrastructure and services being guaranteed. The idea that up to 20,000 more properties could be built without adversely impacting upon the environment and residents’ quality of life is risible and dishonest.

At the last Council meeting the Cabinet Member for Housing said the 30,000 figure derives as our apportionment as a member of a London sub-region rather than to meet Havering's specific housing needs. This figure must be resolutely resisted should the Mayor demand in the pending London Plan an adherence to the Strategic Housing Market Assessment.

Council therefore agrees it will not commit itself to any housing numbers above our present already excessive Mayoral target.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

This Council, having received expert advice from Queen’s Counsel as explained in detail in a recent briefing open to all councillors, accepts that it must follow the required procedure if it is to obtain approval of its draft Local Plan and protect the Borough from indiscriminate developments across the area lacking proper infrastructure.

It further notes that this is laid down by National Planning Policy, that one of the requirements is to meet objectively assessed housing need and that this is done both in London and elsewhere through the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SMAH). The most recent updated SHMA indicates a provisional need for 30,000 homes over 22 years up to 2033.

It further notes that the London Plan currently shows a minimum target for Havering of 11,701 new homes from 2015 to 2025. On this basis the emerging draft Local Plan would show a continuing target of 1,170 over the period of the plan which could be reviewed every 5 years in the light of any evidence of changes in need. 

It further notes that the proposed Havering Local Plan will be open to extensive public consultation and any submission to the Secretary of State for public examination will be subject to the responses received through the consultation process.

Following debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 29 votes to (see division 3) and AGREED as the substantive motion without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council, having received expert advice from Queen’s Counsel as explained in detail in a recent briefing open to all councillors, accepts that it must follow the required procedure if it is to obtain approval of its draft Local Plan and protect the Borough from indiscriminate developments across the area lacking proper infrastructure.

It further notes that this is laid down by National Planning Policy, that one of the requirements is to meet objectively assessed housing need and that this is done both in London and elsewhere through the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SMAH). The most recent updated SHMA indicates a provisional need for 30,000 homes over 22 years up to 2033.

It further notes that the London Plan currently shows a minimum target for Havering of 11,701 new homes from 2015 to 2025. On this basis the emerging draft Local Plan would show a continuing target of 1,170 over the period of the plan which could be reviewed every 5 years in the light of any evidence of changes in need. 

It further notes that the proposed Havering Local Plan will be open to extensive public consultation and any submission to the Secretary of State for public examination will be subject to the responses received through the consultation process.