Walsall Borough Housing Strategy 2026 - Short term 0 – 24 months
How we will deliver
This section sets out the actions that we will implement on our journey to attracting and accelerating investment.
| Action | Description | Lead partner | Enabling function | Impact | Success measure | Objective linked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplify planning/approval processes including a streamlined PPA | Prioritise and speed up determination of planning applications for housing, especially for affordable and specialist developments. | Development Management (Planning), Legal Services | Process | High | Approval times; pre-app engagement | A, B |
| Lead on council land assessment for suitability and packaging/disposal | Assess, assemble, package, and market council land for affordable/specialist housing, using CPO/hope value as needed. | Asset Management, Legal Services, Housing | Process | High | Sites unlocked, transactions completed, housing starts | A, B |
| Enforce affordable housing targets | Assess, assemble, package, and market council land for affordable/specialist housing, using CPO/hope value as needed. | Planning Policy, Housing, Legal Services | Policy | High | % schemes meeting targets, affordable homes delivered | A, B |
| Convene multi-agency housing forums | Regular forums with RPs, developers and VCS; annual events to share learning and coordinate interventions. | Housing, Community Building & Cohesion, Regeneration & Economy | People & Partnerships | High | Attendance, partnerships formed, shared outcomes | A, B, D |
| Data dashboard/reporting on tenure mix and pipeline progress | Collect and report on tenure mix and affordable housing pipeline. | Business Intelligence, Housing | Performance | Medium | Reports published, mix improved, action taken | A, B, D |
| Foster co-production with communities | Engage residents and VCS in new housing models (supported, kinship care) and flexible allocations. | Housing, Community Building & Cohesion, Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) | People & Partnerships | Medium | Sessions held, new models piloted, satisfaction feedback | B, D |
| Launch PRS compliance and engagement programmes | Deliver landlord and tenant education on Renters’ Rights Act, hazard standards and compliance requirements. | Housing, Legal Services, Communications | Process | High | Number of attendees, awareness, compliance rates | C |
| Regular PRS inspection and enforcement | Targeted inspection campaigns for high-risk areas, follow-up enforcement for non-compliance, and support for remediation. | Housing (Private Housing), Legal Services, Enforcement | Process | High | Number of inspections, hazards removed, enforcement actions | C |
| Establish PRS landlord and tenant forums | Ongoing engagement sessions to inform about legal changes, share best practices and foster partnership with council teams. | Housing, Community Building & Cohesion, Communications | People & Partnerships | Medium | Number of sessions, attendance, feedback, engagement level | C |
| Targeted support for landlords to remove Category 1 hazards | Offer guidance, signposting to grants/loans, and technical assistance for property improvements. | Housing (Private Housing), Finance | Process | Medium | Number of landlords supported, hazards resolved | C |
| Establish a dedicated empty homes task force | Multi-disciplinary team to identify, engage and target long-term vacant properties. | Housing, Legal Services, Asset | Process | High | Task force operational, number of homes | D |
| Develop and implement incentives for bringing empty homes back into use | Grants, loans or council tax incentives for owners who refurbish and re-let or sell empty properties. | Housing, Finance, Revenues & Benefits | Policy | High | Number of homes brought back, funds issued | D |
| Launch public awareness and reporting campaigns on housing standards | Develop and deliver a communications campaign to inform residents and landlords about housing standards, rights and responsibilities, including the reporting of empty homes. | Communications, Housing, Community Building & Cohesion | People & Partnerships | High | Campaign reach, reports received, engagement | D |
| Introduce Supported Housing Licensing Scheme | Prepare and design a borough-wide licensing scheme for all supported housing providers in anticipation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act and forthcoming national regulations. | Housing, Legal Services, Adult Social Care | Policy | High | Licensing scheme designed; % providers engaged in pilot; compliance rates | B, C |
| Co-Produce Commissioning and Review Processes with Service Users | Establish regular co-production workshops and advisory panels with people with lived experience to inform commissioning, design and review of specialist housing models. | Housing, Adult Social Care, Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) | People & Partnerships | High | Number of workshops held; % of schemes co-produced; service user satisfaction | B, D |
| Promote delivery of aspirational homes | Proactively enable the development of aspirational, high-quality market homes as part of a balanced pipeline, including through targeted land disposals, flexible planning and partnership working with developers and investors. | Housing, Regeneration & Economy, Planning Policy | Policy; People & Partnerships | High | Number/% of aspirational homes delivered; developer feedback | A |
| Pilot new technologies for housing standards | Test and implement digital tools (online reporting platforms, mobile apps, remote inspections) to facilitate reporting and improve compliance and engagement. | Housing, Regeneration & Economy, Planning Policy, IT | Process; Performance | Medium | Number of reports/inspections via new tools, resolution time, user feedback | C |