Agenda item

To update the Committee on the upcoming Family Housing Strategy

Richard Shwe (Director of Housing) gave a presentation on the Family Housing Strategy. He showed slides that highlighted the following key aspects:

• There was an ongoing demand for family sized housing, particularity affordable or social family housing.
• There was evidence to suggest that birth rates were declining the borough.
• This combined with movement of people was having an impact on school rolls, local economic development, social mobility and community cohesion.
• The Council planned to overcome these challenges by updating the housing strategy and planning policy, making best use of existing homes and building and buying new homes.
• By implementing this strategy, the Council aimed to increase the number of family-sized homes available, ensuring that families could settle, grow, and thrive in the borough.

The Chair noted that the Strategy had been presented at Cabinet in July 2025 and enquired whether it was now in place. Richard Shwe confirmed that implementation was underway, and work had commenced. He explained that Officers were working closely with the Regeneration Team to explore opportunities for development within a broader context. Given the borough’s high population density, he emphasised the importance of identifying effective approaches to advance the family housing strategy, to ensure it delivered benefits for local communities.

Councillor Adroine Alford expressed her support for increasing the number of family-sized homes and asked how this would align with the London Mayor’s plan and, whether the Council retained autonomy in its decisions. Richard Shwe explained that there were opportunities for the Council to review its housing stock and estates to identify what could be delivered. He noted that garage sites could also be considered for development and highlighted that modern construction methods allowed homes to be built offsite and brought in, offering flexibility. Councillor Alford acknowledged that managing gap sites remained a challenge within the borough.

Councillor Frances Umeh (Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness) added that the mayor’s plan was broadly aligned with the Council’s objectives to provide more affordable family-sized accommodation, helping residents remain within the community. She emphasised that the family Housing Strategy reflected this priority. She further noted that the Council faced a significant housing crisis, with high demand and a large waiting list for homes, making this area a key focus. A new consultation had commenced to ensure the borough’s needs were incorporated into future housing development plans.

Councillor Adroine Alford emphasised the importance of ensuring that any offer provided to residents was of a good standard, maintaining local connections, meeting their needs and representing a clear improvement when downsizing.

Councillor Sally Taylor highlighted that in her ward, West Kensington, there were several larger properties occupied by older residents living alone. She asked about the process for downsizing. Richard Shwe explained that when a resident expressed interest in downsizing, Officers aimed to arrange a face-to-face meeting to outline available options. He also noted the need to address perceptions of sheltered housing, which was designed as an independent living arrangement with a programme of activities. John Hayden (Assistant Director of Repairs) added that Officers had visibility of under-occupied properties and were actively working to support residents who wished to downsize.

The Chair expressed interest in the proposal for a Council-owned Housing Company and asked about the timescales for the business plan and the associated risks. Richard Shwe explained that, due to a conflict of interest as a social landlord, he was not involved in the Housing Company and therefore could not comment directly. However, he outlined the governance structure based on his previous experience with a Housing Company. Noting the importance of starting on a small scale and having a clear business plan to deliver outcomes. He further confirmed that there would be no risk to the Housing Revenue Account, as the company would operate entirely independently.

The Chair asked about the plan and timescales for bringing larger homes back into use and whether the Council was prioritising these over one-bedroom properties. John Hayden reported that the Council currently had 114 voids across its stock, including multiple one, two, and three-bedroom properties, which were classified as day-to-day voids. He confirmed that 82% of all day-to-day voids were within the national key performance measure, which tracked the time from end of tenancy to re-letting. Unless structural issues were identified, all voids were treated within the same timeframe. John Hayden added that he would circulate further information on the age profile of the housing stock, which had significantly reduced over recent years, following the meeting.

Action – John Hayden

The Chair asked how the process could be accelerated from identifying suitable properties to successfully rehousing families. John Hayden explained that, as part of the action plan, benchmarking had been carried out against other local authorities to understand average timescales for downsizing, noting that the process can be complex depending on individual circumstances. Richard Shwe added that housing services needed to adopt a more innovative approach, including reviewing patch sizes and working collaboratively with the Regeneration Team to determine what the Council could achieve.

Councillor Frances Umeh noted that home swaps and mutual exchanges do take place within the Council’s housing stock under an existing policy. She stressed the importance of gathering feedback from residents on what could improve the downsizing process, suggesting this insight should inform future planning.

The Chair noted that it would be beneficial to bring this policy back to a future meeting for further review.

Councillor Asif Siddique highlighted the importance of independent living for older residents and asked how the Council planned to support this within the action plan. Richard Shwe responded that this was a workstream requiring further review and development. He stressed the need for effective communication to ensure individuals understood the opportunities available in sheltered housing, which offered a strong platform for independent living.