Agenda and minutes
Housing Committee - Tuesday 23 February 2016 10.00 am

To receive any apologies for absence and any announcements from the Chair.

1.1  Apologies for absence were received from Darren Johnson AM, for whom Jenny Jones AM substituted, and from Andrew Boff AM.

1.2  During the course of the meeting, noting that this was the final formal meeting of the Housing Committee in this Assembly Year, the Chair offered thanks to Secretariat officers for their work over the last four years of the Assembly’s term.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Ed Wise, [email protected], 020 7983 4619

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agenda and the necessary action taken by the Member(s) regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(c)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any other interests deemed to be relevant (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and to note any necessary action taken by the Member(s) following such declaration(s).

2.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

2.2  Resolved:

That the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

The Committee is recommended to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 January 2016 to be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

3.1  Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2016 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Ed Wise; [email protected]; 020 7983 4619

The Committee is recommended to note the completed and outstanding actions arising from its previous meetings.

4.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

4.2  Resolved:

That the completed and outstanding actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Lorraine Ford, [email protected]; 020 7983 4394

The Committee is recommended to note the report as background to putting questions on housing issues in London to the Deputy Mayor for Housing, Land and Property, and other invited guests, and to note the subsequent discussion.

5.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat as background to putting questions on housing issues in London to the following invited guests:

·  Richard Blakeway, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Land and Property;

·  David Lunts, Executive Director, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority (GLA);

·  Neal Hudson, Associate Director, Residential Research, Savills;

·  Matt Downie, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Crisis; and

·  Pat Hayes, Executive Director, Regeneration and Housing, London Borough of Ealing.

5.2  A transcript of the discussion is attached at Appendix 1.

5.3  During the course of the discussion Members requested that the GLA provide the following information in writing:

·  A copy of the GLA Planning team’s response to the Government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework and confirmation whether the response would be made public;

·  Data on the number of completion waivers signed before 31 March 2015, and confirmation whether the proportion of waivers signed was higher than usual; and

·  Confirmation as to which large landlord businesses had signed up to the London Rental Standard.

5.4  Resolved:

That the report and discussion be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Reece Harris, [email protected]; 020 7983 5802

The Committee is recommended to delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree an open letter to the next Mayor of London concerning increasing provision of affordable homes for rent in London.

6.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

6.2  Resolved:

That authority be delegated to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree an open letter to the next Mayor of London concerning increasing provision of affordable homes for rent in London.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Georgina Wells, [email protected]; 020 7983 4510

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

7.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

7.2  Resolved:

That the report be noted.

7.3  During the course of the meeting, Nicky Gavron AM, on behalf of the Committee, proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair for his work during the Assembly Year.

The London Assembly’s Annual Meeting, due to take place on Friday, 13 May 2016, will decide which committees to establish for the 2016/17 Assembly Year and a timetable of meetings for those committees. 

8.1  The Chair explained that the London Assembly’s Annual Meeting, due to take place on Friday, 13 May 2016, would decide which committees to establish for the 2016/17 Assembly Year and a timetable of meetings for those committees.

9.1  There were no items of business that the Chair considered to be urgent.

10.1  The meeting ended at 11.55 am.