For Cabinet to note and approve the content of the Herefordshire and Shropshire Housing Strategy 2012-2015.

The approval of the Herefordshire and Shropshire Housing Strategy will enable Herefordshire Public Services and its partners to have a common understanding of the key challenges facing the area and more effectively target joint resources to achieve agreed strategic objectives. The strategy requires formal Cabinet approval as it sets out the strategic direction of housing policy for the County.

Herefordshire could continue with its own Housing Strategy, however through the membership of the West Housing Market Area Partnership, significant housing-market similarities have been identified between Herefordshire and Shropshire. This has provided opportunities for collaboration on projects now and in the future.