Agenda and minutes
Housing Committee - Wednesday 8 May 2019 2.00 pm

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

1.1  Apologies for absence were received from Nicky Gavron AM, for whom Jennette Arnold OBE AM substituted.

Following decisions taken at the London Assembly meeting on 2 May 2019, the Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the membership and chairing arrangements for the Housing Committee, as follows:

Tom Copley AM (Chair)

Andrew Boff AM (Deputy Chair)

Sian Berry AM

Leonie Cooper AM

Tony Devenish AM

Nicky Gavron AM

David Kurten AM

(b)  Note the following terms of reference for the Committee:

1.  To examine and report from time to time on –

·  matters of importance to Greater London; and

·  the strategies, policies and actions of the Mayor and the Functional Bodies

as they relate to housing matters in London.

2.  To consider housing matters on request from another standing committee and report its opinion to that standing committee.

3.  To respond on behalf of the Assembly to consultations and similar processes when within its terms of reference.

4.  To take into account in its deliberations the cross cutting themes of: the health of persons in Greater London; the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; climate change; and the promotion of opportunity.

(c)   Note the following standing delegation of authority to the Chair of the Committee:

At its Annual Meeting on 1 May 2013, the Assembly  ...  view the full agenda text for item 1a

1.2   Resolved

(a)  That the membership and chairing arrangements for the Housing Committee as agreed at the Annual Meeting of the London Assembly on 2 May 2019 be noted as follows:

Tom Copley AM (Chair)

Andrew Boff AM (Deputy Chair)

Sian Berry AM

Léonie Cooper AM

Tony Devenish AM

Nicky Gavron AM

David Kurten AM

(b)  That the terms of reference, as agreed at the Annual Meeting of the London Assembly on 2 May 2019, as set out in Supplementary Agenda 1a for the meeting be noted.

(c)  That the following standing delegation of authority to the Chair of the Committee as agreed by the London Assembly at its Annual Meeting on 2 May 2019 and as set out below, be noted:

To respond on the Committee’s behalf, following consultation with the lead Members of the party Groups on the committee or sub-committee, where it is consulted on issues by organisations and there is insufficient time to consider the consultation at a committee meeting.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Jonathan Baker, [email protected], 020 7084 2825

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 26 March 2019 and 2 April 2019 to be signed by the Chair as correct records.

3.1  Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2019 and 2 April 2019 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Jonathan Baker, [email protected], 020 7084 2825

The Committee is recommended to note the 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 outstanding actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Jonathan Baker, [email protected], 020 7084 2825

The Committee is recommended to note the action taken by Sian Berry AM, the Chair of the Housing Committee during the 2018/19 Assembly year, under delegated authority, following consultation with the party Group Lead Members, namely to agree the Committee’s response to a call for evidence from the Affordable Housing Commission.

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

5.2  Resolved:

  That the action taken by Sian Berry AM, the Chair of the Housing Committee during the 2018/19 Assembly year, under delegated authority, following consultation with the party Group Lead Members, namely to agree the Committee’s response to a call for evidence from the Affordable Housing Commission, be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

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

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Agree the areas for consideration set out in paragraph 4.8 of the report and note the report as background to the discussion with invited guests and notes the subsequent discussion.

(b)  Delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree any output from the discussion.

6.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat as background to putting questions on Help to Buy in London to the following invited guests:

·  Henry Pryor, buying agent and market commentator;

·  Professor Yolande Barnes, Chair of the Bartlett Real Estate Institute, University College London (UCL); and

·  Daniel Tomlinson, Research and Policy Analyst, The Resolution Foundation.

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

6.3  During the course of the discussion, the Chair of the Bartlett Real Estate Institute UCL, undertook to provide figures on property transaction levels for new build in London compared to existing stock.

6.4  During the course of the discussion, the Research and Policy Analyst, The Resolution Foundation, undertook to provide a copy of a report which contained evidence of price bunching for new build properties at the limit of the Help to Buy Equity Loan of £600,000.

6.5  The Chair suggested writing to those housebuilders invited to the Committee meeting to request written evidence regarding the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme.

6.6  Resolved:

(a)  That the areas for consideration as set out in paragraph 4.8 of the report be agreed and that the report and discussion be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

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

The Committee is recommended to;

(a)  Note the remainder of its meeting dates in the 2019/20 Assembly year, which are subject to approval at the Annual Meeting of the Assembly on 2 May 2019, as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report.

(b)  Note that the topic for its meeting on 13 June 2019 will be a review of the Affordable Housing Monitor, as agreed at the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee on 8 April 2019.

(c)  Delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree the scope and terms of reference for the Committee’s review of the Affordable Housing Monitor on 13 June 2019.

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

7.2  Resolved:

(a)  That the remainder of the Committee’s meeting dates in the 2019/20 Assembly year, as set out in paragraph 4.2 be noted.

(b)  That it be noted that the topic for the Housing Committee meeting on 13 June 2019 will be a review of the Affordable Housing Monitor, as agreed as the meeting of the GLA Oversight Committee on 8 April 2019.

(c)  That the Committee delegates authority to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree the scope and terms of reference for the Committee’s review of the Affordable Housing Monitor on 13 June 2019.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 13 June 2019 at 2.00 pm in the Chamber, City Hall.

8.1  The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled for Thursday, 13 June 2019 at 2.00 pm in Committee Room 5, City Hall.

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

10.1  The meeting ended at 3.29 pm.