Members only

Key Objectives:
1 To develop, co-ordinate and promote both Councils’ strategic housing function to maximise investment and ensure that the required outcomes are achieved through effective negotiation and consultation, research and policy development.
2 To work with housing associations, developers, landowners, communities to deliver sustainable affordable housing and other delivery provision. To carry out development viability assessments to understand the economies of a development schemes and negotiate what a scheme can deliver.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
1 Actively contribute to the development and production of both Councils’ housing strategies.
2 Identify, develop, consult and lead on the delivery of projects and initiatives to support the delivery of both Councils’ Housing and Homelessness strategies and other documents, including (but not exhaustive)
• Housing related planning policies,
• New innovative delivery mechanism
• Commissioning of new services
• State of the District reports,
• Researching and the development of new Housing Allocation policies,
• Developing planning guidance for affordable housing,
• Understanding, contributing and communicating the results of the strategic housing market assessment (SHMA),
• Write and review tenancy strategies
3 Develop and maintain our partnerships in relation to the strategic housing function by providing professional advice to corporate colleagues, Members, other local authority partners, Homes England, Registered providers, parish councils and the local community to ensure appropriate provision of affordable housing across West Northants .
4 To review, comment and provide advice on planning applications and proactively negotiate with housing developers, development agents and landowners to ensure continued delivery of affordable housing across West Northants that helps meet identified local housing needs and balancing the local housing market.
5 To provide representation at external partnership meetings, groups and forums that contribute to the development of the Councils’ strategic housing role including convening meetings, training opportunities, preparation of agendas and minute taking.
6 Work with the legal team to ensure robust legal agreements are in place and where needed optimise external funding by supporting the preparation and submission of funding applications to the Homes England and other providers of social housing which address identified needs.
7 To lead and provide specialist advice and guide financial viability assessments on the provision of affordable housing and delivery of the Councils’ priorities at a corporate level. To understand and influence the components and improvement of development economic models.
8 To consult, carry out and analyse local housing need and market studies and where required input into neighbourhood plans in conjunction with parish and town councils. Utilise evidence bases to determine on a site by site basis affordable housing requirements or other identified housing needs arising from housing development proposals and communicate these with colleagues, members and the wider community and highlighting potential opportunities or challenges.
9 Ensure own knowledge of relevant national policy, housing legislation, statutory guidance, policy and practice is up to date. Anticipate the likely impact of new policy and legislation on the Councils, reviewing existing policies and prepare policy documents, presentations and reports recommending policy options for the most beneficial way the Councils should respond ensuring that housing proposals meet specific objectives.
10 Seek revenue and capital funding opportunities in order to ensure that the Councils and its partners are able to deliver on key strategically important objectives. The ability to prepare and submit bids.
11 Monitor and report on performance of registered provider delivery and handover of affordable housing. This includes post completion liaison with nomination agreements.
12 Collect, prepare, analyse and interpret a variety of statistical information, data and housing information, for the purpose of performance monitoring, research and informing policy development. To include Government Office returns including the submission of the Local Authority Housing Statistics return, requests from external organisations, members of the public, and contributing to the return of other housing performance indicators.
13 Any other duties which may be allocated from time to time by the Housing Strategy and Partnership Team Leader which are consistent with the responsibilities and grading of the post.