Full Council this week unanimously agreed to pass a motion to consider the inclusion of co-operative housing models in the Sandwell Local Plan.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Luke John Davies and seconded by Cllr Peter Hughes.

The motion stated:

“Council notes that a housing co-operative is a group of people who manage and control the housing in which they live, with each person who is a member of the housing co- operative having an equal say in decision-making.

Council further notes that there are currently over 900 housing co-operatives in the UK involving over 196,500 homes.

Council acknowledges that those co-operative housing models as a rule produce high-quality housing at lower rents than most private rented models, as well as fostering a strong sense of community values.

Council further notes that co-operative housing is already referred to in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and it is therefore considered an appropriate form of social housing.

Council also notes that including a specific reference to co-operative housing models in the local plan will give this option a further degree of prominence.”

The motion went on to call on the Leader and Cabinet to:

1. Consider the development and adoption of a Co-operative Housing Policy; and

2. Consider the inclusion of a reference to co-operative housing models in the draft Local Plan in the section currently related to self-build and custom-build housing.