Councillor Shiraz Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning, and Regulatory Services, looks back on the year and ahead to 2025.

I’m incredibly proud to continue in my role as the Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Planning, and Regulatory Services. Over the last year, we have achieved so much, and we have made considerable progress. I am truly thrilled to see the improvements achieved for the people of Derby. 

As we head into the new year, I want to reflect on the important work that officers have carried out this year. It has been a priority for the Labour administration to build a better Derby that we can all be proud of, and I am delighted with everything that we have achieved in 2024.

Our Trading Standards team has continued their tireless work to keep shoppers in Derby safe. In October, the team took Asda Stores Ltd to court following an investigation that found that the store was displaying food beyond its use-by date. Consequently, Asda Stores Ltd was handed a £250,000 fine. 

Furthermore, in a crackdown on bad pricing to address the cost-of-living crisis, the Trading Standards team carried out a number of inspections at grocery stores across Derby. The team examined over 5,000 products across 47 premises to ensure correct pricing on food, toiletries, and cleaning products. Officers found 218 non-compliant prices, eight misleading offers, and 30 incorrect price labels.

A key focus for myself and officers in 2024 has been to address housing standards across Derby. This year, significant steps have been taken to improve housing standards across Derby, particularly in areas with high levels of deprivation and poverty. By targeting wards such as Abbey, Arboretum, and Normanton, the Council’s Housing Standards team has worked hard to ensure that housing inequalities are addressed. 

The Safer Renting Derby project has aimed to address housing inequalities in the private rented sector in areas with the poorest housing conditions. With a focus on tackling issues such as damp and mould, officers have worked with landlords to ensure that they meet their responsibility to tenants through education and enforcement. 

As Chair of the Planning Committee, I raised and spearheaded the issues surrounding Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) after listening to residents’ concerns. This led to the introduction of the recently approved Article 4 Direction, which is also set to improve housing standards in these areas. This move will give the Council more planning powers to regulate HMOs. I am proud that we addressed the concerns of residents in these areas who highlighted the issue of the excessive number of shared properties and the impact that they create. 

In addition, the Council has been provisionally awarded approximately £3.2M from the government to help fund home energy improvements in people’s homes, not only reducing their domestic fuel bills, but also reducing CO2 emissions that contribute towards climate change.

2024 has also been an important year for addressing the unprecedented housing crisis that Derby faces. While this issue isn’t unique to Derby, we have taken practical steps to address the housing crisis. In November, I approved the development of 12 new three-bedroom flats on a vacant site at Barlow Street to help towards meeting housing needs in Derby. 

In July, we also completed the purchase of a former student village to turn it into a sustainable housing development for families who are in need of temporary housing. Within six months, we have completed the first phase of the redevelopment of the scheme which now already accommodates 46 households in time for Christmas.

When completed, Abbey Lodge will provide 96 temporary accommodation flats and will be redeveloped to support families who were previously living in unsuitable and costly temporary accommodation, such as Airbnbs or bed-and-breakfasts. 

Looking to the new year, I will continue to prioritise the work that the Trading Standards team does, while also focusing on addressing housing concerns and looking into licensing and planning processes. I am particularly looking forward to seeing more families moving into Abbey Lodge, and I will continue to search for suitable housing solutions. I am also looking forward to the new HMO Direction coming into effect in May 2025. 

It has been an honour to serve Derby during so much positive change, and I’m looking forward to more transformative change in the new year.