Can you please provide the following information in line with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act:

1. The number of individuals on the Council's Self Build and Custom Housebuilding register in each of the following base periods as defined under the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended):
a) Base Period 1 (from the start of the Self-Build Register up to 30 October 2016): 63.
b) Base Period 2 (31 October 2016 to 30 October 2017): 106.
c) Base Period 3 (31 October 2017 to 30 October 2018): 64 (10 Part One, 54 Part Two).
d) Base Period 4 (31 October 2018 to 30 October 2019): 86 (18 Part One, 68 Part Two).
e) Base Period 5 (31 October 2019 to 30 October 2020): 76 (15 Part One, 61 Part Two).
f) Base Period 6 (31 October 2020 to Present): To be confirmed at end of base period.

2. The number of associations of individuals on the Council's Self Build and Custom Housebuilding register in each of the following base periods as defined under the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended) together with the number of individuals within each of those associations:
a) Base Period 1 (from the start of the Self-Build Register up to 30 October 2016): 0.
b) Base Period 2 (31 October 2016 to 30 October 2017): 1 (1 Part Two).
c) Base Period 3 (31 October 2017 to 30 October 2018): 0.
d) Base Period 4 (31 October 2018 to 30 October 2019): 0.
e) Base Period 5 (31 October 2019 to 30 October 2020): 0.
f) Base Period 6 (31 October 2020 to Present): 0.

3. The date on which the Council commenced its Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding register?
1st April 2016.

4. What are the Council's entry requirements for joining its Self-Build Register?
Our Register is split into two parts:
1. Applicants meeting all of the eligibility criteria, including the local connection test, will be placed into Part 1 of the Register.
2. Applicants that do not establish a local connection, but otherwise meet the eligibility criteria, will be entered into Part 2 of the Register.

Applicants meeting at least one of the criteria below will be defined as having a local connection to Wokingham Borough. These are:
• Having either lived in the borough for at least 5 years and/or
• Having been in full-time employment (greater than 16 hours per week) within the borough for at least 5 years and/or
• Having an immediate family member who has lived in the borough for the past 5 years. Immediate family are defined as a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister or adult child).

Current or former personnel (applying to join the Register within 5 years of discharge) of the armed services will automatically satisfy any local connection test set. Further details of the Council’s entry requirements can be found here: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/housing-needs/register-for-a-self-build-home/

5. Whether the Council has undertaken any review(s) of its register and when did it occur, and in the process of doing so has the Council removed any entries from its register?
Yes, the Council reviewed the Register prior to the introduction of a local connection test on 1st June 2018. No applications were removed as a result of this process.

6. If yes to Q5:
a) What were the grounds for the removal of these entries?
b) When did these removals occur?
c) How many entries were removed from each Base Period?
Not applicable. No applications were removed as a result of this process.

7. The number of Self-Build and/or Custom Housebuilding planning permissions and/or permissions in principle the Council has granted towards addressing demand arising from within each of the following Base Periods under Section 2A(2) of the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended), together with the application reference numbers.
a) Base Period 1 (from the start of the Self-Build Register up to 30 October 2016)
b) Base Period 2 (31 October 2016 to 30 October 2017)
c) Base Period 3 (31 October 2017 to 30 October 2018)
d) Base Period 4 (31 October 2018 to 30 October 2019)
e) Base Period 5 (31 October 2019 to 30 October 2020)
f) Base Period 6 (31 October 2020 to Present)
This information is not routinely monitored.

8. The number of CIL Self-Build Exemption Form 7 Part 1's the Council have counted towards addressing demand arising from within each of the following Base Periods under Section 2A(2) of the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended), together with the application reference numbers to which each CIL Form 7 Part 1 relates:
a) Base Period 1 (from the start of the Self-Build Register up to 30 October 2016): 18.
b) Base Period 2 (31 October 2016 to 30 October 2017): 32.
c) Base Period 3 (31 October 2017 to 30 October 2018): 34.
d) Base Period 4 (31 October 2018 to 30 October 2019): 37.
e) Base Period 5 (31 October 2019 to 30 October 2020): 38.
f) Base Period 6 (31 October 2020 to Present): To be confirmed at end of base period.

Application reference numbers not collated due to time restriction.

9. The number of CIL Self-Build Exemption Form 7 Part 2's the Council have counted towards addressing demand arising from within each of the following Base Periods under Section 2A(2) of the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended), together with the application reference numbers to which each CIL Form 7 Part 2 relates:
a) Base Period 1 (from the start of the Self-Build Register up to 30 October 2016)
b) Base Period 2 (31 October 2016 to 30 October 2017)
c) Base Period 3 (31 October 2017 to 30 October 2018)
d) Base Period 4 (31 October 2018 to 30 October 2019)
e) Base Period 5 (31 October 2019 to 30 October 2020)
f) Base Period 6 (31 October 2020 to Present)
This information is not routinely monitored.

10. How does the Council monitor Self Build and Custom Housebuilding permissions and completions?
The Council monitors by the CIL exemption date.

11. How does the Council alert individuals and associations of individuals on its Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register to any self-build and custom housebuilding permissions it grants?
The Council would contact Self Build Registrees via email initially.

12. How has the Council publicised the existence of its Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register?
The Council’s Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register is publicised via the Council’s website here: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/housing-needs/register-for-a-self-build-home/

Wokingham Borough Council is keen to support the delivery of self-build and custom-build homes. As part of our Local Plan Update, we are considering self-build provision in the borough. We are also developing plans for a pilot community-led self-build project on council owned land, and have recently been in consultation with residents in relation to the twin demands for affordable and self-build homes in the borough.

13. If the Council has publicised the existence of its Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding register, when did this take place and by what means?
The Register was first publicised at the time of launch in 2016. Most recently, we have carried out a public consultation focusing on affordable self-build. This included a public survey, social media campaign and live webinar. Further details can be found here: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/housing-needs/register-for-a-self-build-home/

14. A copy of the letter sent to the Council from Housing Secretary Right Honourable Robert Jenrick MP as referred to in his speech of 30 October 2020 (https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?)
We may not hold this information. Our Housing Policy Officer has checked with various contacts who have not received the letter and the service don't hold a copy of it. We are unaware of who in the Council would have received this, and have not been able to locate after a reasonable search of the establishment. We would advise contacting MP Robert Jenrick who can supply a copy of this and which councils this was sent to.