To enable Council to consider the formal adoption of the Housing Strategy for the period 2026 to 2030.

Council was informed that, at its meeting held on 19 December 2025 (Minute 90 referred), the Cabinet had considered a report of the Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder (A.4) which had informed it of the outcome following the consultation on the draft Housing Strategy 2026-30 and which had sought Cabinet’s approval of the final Housing Strategy 2026-30 for recommendation to Full Council.

 

Cabinet had recalled that, at its earlier meeting held on 26 September 2025, it had approved a draft Housing Strategy 2026-30 for consultation. That consultation had been launched on 6 October 2025 with a questionnaire available on the Council’s website.

 

It had been reported to Cabinet that 24 responses to the consultation had been received via the online survey form with 92% agreeing with the proposed length of the strategy and 92% agreeing with the four strategic priorities. Several comments had been received that had been summarised within the Portfolio Holder’s report.

 

Cabinet had been advised that Essex County Council (ECC) had submitted a detailed response that in essence had stated: “ECC welcomes the development of this Housing Strategy and the clear articulation of Tendring’s priorities. The document is well-structured and provides a strong narrative about the local context, including the challenges of deprivation, an ageing population, and housing affordability. We particularly value the emphasis on partnership working and the recognition of the role of Essex County Council in delivering shared objectives.”

 

Overall, the responses to the consultation had not required the draft strategy to be substantially altered. Reflecting the feedback received, some minor additions had been made. The proposed final version of the strategy had set out notable achievements along with ambitions across four strategic priorities:-

 

1.         Maintain and improve our existing housing stock.

 

This focussed on the Council’s role as a landlord and the management of its homes ensuring compliance with its statutory obligations along with the Consumer Standards and Tenant Satisfaction Measures

 

2.         Preventing and reducing homelessness.

 

With homelessness having increased and most councils facing significant cost pressures this priority set out what the Council was doing to reduce expenditure and increase its prevention work.

 

3.         Delivering, with partners, high quality homes.

 

This priority focused on the delivery of affordable housing in the District.

 

4.         Supporting people in their homes and communities.

 

This priority was aimed at those living in the privately rented sector and those owning their own homes and set out what the Council was doing to ensure housing standards were maintained across all tenures.

 

In order to:-

 

(1) ensure that the new Housing Strategy was appropriately adopted, following consultation with the public, other relevant authorities and both internal and external stakeholders, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution; and

 

(2)   acknowledge appropriately that the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee had yet to review the proposed final version of the Housing Strategy, although a Task and Finish Working Group had discussed the draft strategy at a meeting on 3 November 2025 and had been largely supportive of it, and was due to report to the Committee on 14 January 2026:-

 

Cabinet had resolved:-

 

“that Cabinet –

 

(a)   notes the responses to the consultation on the draft Housing Strategy 2026-30;

 

(b)   agrees the final Housing Strategy 2026/30 and recommends it for adoption by Full Council at its meeting to be held on 27 January 2026; and

 

(c)   authorises the Portfolio Holder for Housing & Planning to make amendments to the final version of the strategy prior to its approval by Full Council in response to any recommendations made by the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2026.”

 

The Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee had then duly considered the proposed Housing Strategy 2026-30 and had resolved to endorse it as submitted and for it to be presented to full Council.

 

A copy of the published Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder’s report to the Cabinet meeting held on 19 December 2025 was attached to the reference report (A.2) as an appendix. The final proposed Housing Strategy 2026-30, as recommended for adoption by the Cabinet, was also attached to that reference report (A.2) as an appendix.

 

The Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder (Councillor Baker) made the following statement:-

 

“Chairman, I am pleased to present to full Council the Housing Strategy 2026-2030, shown at Appendix 1, for adoption this evening.

 

Cabinet, in September 2025, agreed that the draft strategy be approved to go out for consultation for six weeks, which occurred between 6^th October to 14^th November, with a questionnaire available to be completed on the Council’s website.

 

24 responses were received via the online form, of which 92% agreed with the length of the strategy and 92% agreeing with the four strategic priorities.

 

Braintree District Council responded via the online form, as did Colchester Borough Homes, while Essex County Council submitted a detailed response, which is attached to this report at Appendix 2.

 

Members of the Council’s Tenants Panel also responded with their comments.

 

Overall, the responses received did not require the draft strategy to be substantially altered.

The draft strategy was also shared with the Resources and Services Overview Scrutiny Committee’s Task and Finish Group on Housing and Homelessness, who discussed it at a meeting in early November, and were largely supportive of it. That Task and Finish group presented its report to the Committee, on Wednesday 14^th January, and from the draft minutes of that Committee it is noted that after discussion, it was resolved, among other recommendations, that the Committee notes the final Housing Strategy 2026-30 and recommends it for adoption by Full Council on 27 January 2026.

 

As I stated at Cabinet’s September meeting, Chairman, local authorities are not required by Government to have a formal housing strategy, but they are expected to adopt a strategic approach to housing in their local areas to deliver a thriving housing market and address local needs, with this council’s current Housing Strategy 2020-2025, being closely followed by this final strategy, running form 2026 to 2030.

 

This also ensures that there is a overlap into the tenure of the new Unitary authority, that will no doubt form its own views on its own strategy, as a result of LGR.

 

Also, as a result of devolution the Mayor will have a greater voice on strategic housing and planning matters, albeit the timeline for that has now changed.

 

Apart from setting out the four main priorities for the next five years, which are:

 

Maintain and improve our existing housing stock.

Preventing and reducing homelessness.

Delivering, with partners, high quality homes.

Supporting people in their homes and communities.

 

It also sets out those achievements of the previous strategy, as well as outlining some ambitions, which is intentional, rather than targets and which do not have timescales associated with them.

 

Chairman, I move the recommendation as set out in the Agenda on Page 50.”

 

In addition to the Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder, Councillors P Honeywood, Harris and M Cossens addressed the Council on the subject matter of this item. The Housing & Planning Portfolio Holder responded to questions asked by those Councillors.

 

It was moved by Councillor Baker and:-

 

RESOLVED that Council, having duly considered the contents of the reference report from Cabinet (A.2), formally adopts the Housing Strategy 2026-30, as part of the Council’s policy framework.