Holding the Council to Account on New Exempt Housing Measures in Erdington

Birmingham City Council has announced new measures and funding regarding exempt and supported housing, following recent government policy updates. With the city now hosting over 33,900 supported exempt accommodation units across approximately 12,000 properties, the pressure on our local infrastructure is immense.

What's happened

The government has allocated a share of £39 million in new burdens funding to local authorities, including Birmingham, to begin work on local supported housing strategies. Alongside this, the council has welcomed a £3.19 million extension to its supported exempt housing sector pilot from the government's Supported Housing Improvement Programme. You can read the official updates on the Birmingham City Council housing news page.

What it means for Erdington and Pype Hayes

Erdington has historically shouldered a massive burden of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and exempt properties. While these new measures and funding extensions are designed to raise standards and improve oversight, the concrete effect on our residents remains to be seen. For our community, this is about whether these policies will actually stop the flood of poorly managed properties that strain our local services, take up limited parking, and impact community safety.

Where I stand

I welcome any genuine attempt to clean up the exempt accommodation sector. The counter-argument from the Lib Dem-Green coalition is that the council's hands are tied by national legislation, and as noted in recent scrutiny reports, the council cannot simply refuse applications for exempt status based solely on oversupply. I respect that legal reality, and I know Cllr Baber Baz has a difficult brief. However, as your Reform UK councillor, I believe we must use every single enforcement power we do have to its absolute limit. We cannot accept Erdington being the default dumping ground for the region's housing crisis. We need robust enforcement, not just endless pilot schemes.

What happens next

The government is set to publish new national supported housing standards and guidance shortly. Locally, the council is required to produce its comprehensive supported housing strategy. My office will be closely monitoring the enforcement actions taken in our ward over the coming months to ensure these new funds translate into visible improvements on our streets.

Questions we're asking

As the Reform UK opposition, I am putting these specific questions to the decision-maker on residents' behalf:

• Following the government's allocation of £39 million in new burdens funding to local authorities, exactly how much of this has Birmingham received, and what specific percentage is ring-fenced for enforcement in Erdington and Pype Hayes?
• The January 2026 Homes OSC report noted the council cannot refuse exempt status based on oversupply; what specific lobbying or legal challenges is your portfolio undertaking this year to change this rule and protect saturated wards?
• With the city now hosting over 33,900 supported exempt units, what is the exact target date for the publication of Birmingham's new mandatory supported housing strategy, and who will sign off on its final approval?
• If the extended £3.19 million Supported Housing Improvement Programme pilot fails to reduce anti-social behaviour complaints linked to exempt properties in our ward by the end of the financial year, what emergency measures will the council trigger?
• How many dedicated community safety officers are currently funded by the new housing measures specifically to monitor the 12,000 exempt properties across the city, and how many are deployed in Erdington?

Have your say

This is your community, and your voice matters. I invite you to register on the site, leave a comment below, vote in our ward forum poll, and sign our ongoing petitions to protect Erdington and Pype Hayes. Together, we can hold the council to account.

Source: Birmingham City Council