Testun llawn:
1. First of all, I want to register my agreement with the proposed plan in principal which was discussed at the meeting - I agree that there were no exceptional circumstances which would allow for the inclusion of the green belt land to the North of Leamington Spa to be used for building purposes.
2. Queries:
2.1 With regard to the sites for gypsies and travellers, how does the Council propose to deal with the management and maintenance of the sites, collection of rent etc from the gypsies and travellers who will be using the sites.
2.2 As I understand that it is proposed that some of these sites might be allowing for permanent or semi-permanent sites for the gypsies and travellers and that schools, doctors etc. should be accessible to these sites, how is it proposed that the gypsies/travellers will be contributing to the cost of providing schooling etc. in the form of council tax and how will that be collected?
2.3 If it is the Council's intention for these sites to be used rent free/council tax free by gypsies/travellers, please explain to me why they should be allowed to have the use of these facilities (paid for by the local taxpayers) free of charge.
2.4 In response to one of the questions raised at the Forum, the Council representative said that the Council has no say in how the builders will develop the sites and what they will build on them. This caused some consternation and confusion because of the following:
(a) of course the Council has to consider any planning applications and plans put forward by the builders and therefore has a significant power to agree, disagree or amend such plans;
(b) in the years before the slump in the housing market, a great deal of flats were either purpose-built or converted out of the old Victorian/Edwardian buildings - these were in the main bought by investors for rental purposes and there is a significant number of students as a result based in Leamington Spa/Warwick. In light of this there was general agreement in the room that amongst the properties to be built, the requisite proportion of affordable housing should not take the form of flats but should be freehold properties with a minimum of two bedrooms and with a garden. It was therefore disturbing when the Council representative indicated that the Council has no say in what the builders build.
(c) There was concern that in light of the current difficulties in first time buyers (or indeed generally) obtaining mortgage funds, there was a risk that a significant number the houses which are to be built might be bought by corporate or private investors (as they have easy access to funds) for rental purposes which could start another building boom and result in an increase in house prices to the continuing detriment of first time buyers. The question I wished to raise was what steps the Council might consider taking to ensure this could be avoided e.g. by requiring the builders to come up with a scheme to help finance the sale to first time buyers and perhaps take steps to discourage builders to sell houses en masse to investors i.e. require any buyer to be the owner/occupier of the houses.