Agenda item

7.1

The Chair introduced the report on the interim findings and recommendations of the Lettings Policy Review, indicating that officers had highlighted five areas of major work required in connection with the Review, two of which had already been considered and dealt with by the Scrutiny Committee Task and Finish Group – Banding and Registration, including Housing Register Management.  He referred to the report now submitted, which contained details regarding the five key challenge areas for policy development, specifically a summary of the interim recommendations, issues with the current policy, the research undertaken, advantages and disadvantages of the various options, together with an officer recommendation on each of the areas.

7.2

Bedroom Eligibility

7.2.1

Sharon Schonborn, Allocation Policy Review Manager, Communities Portfolio, gave a presentation on the subject of Bedroom Eligibility Criteria.

7.2.2

Members of the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee raised a number of questions and the following responses were provided:-

If the officer-recommended Option 3, as detailed in the report, was the preferred option for this Committee, it had been suggested that these arrangements be implemented before the full review of the policy in order to give officers more time to look at what measures could be put in place to ensure that tenants would not suffer financial hardship as a result of under-occupation.  The Council also supported tenants in a number of other ways and there were a number of options open to them in terms of what they could choose to do, such as encouraging people to downsize if they choose to do so and giving priority to those tenants with bigger properties if they wish to downsize.

If the officer-recommended Option 3 was the preferred option for this Committee, the Council would want to consult with groups that would be affected by the changes, such as looking at the  alternatives open to single parents, who have overnight access rights and would, as a consequence, only be eligible for a one-bedroom property.

Those tenants wishing to downsize would be provided with information on what this will mean for them.  A specialised team had been established and operated up to 30th June 2012, to provide support for such people, and this provision now formed part of Sheffield Homes’ standard work.  Staff also had links to various charities who were willing to accept any furniture or other belongings they would not be able to fit in their new properties and were willing to give up.

The officer-recommended Option 3 provided mechanisms to relax the criteria in certain circumstances and officers would have to work up the detail on this in terms of the criteria and what situations would be covered.

A report on the criteria in terms of older and disabled persons, as part of the process for the review of the Lettings Policy, would be submitted to a future meeting of this Committee for further discussion.

In terms of teenage pregnancies, it would not be suitable to place young mothers in properties that they could not afford and consequently, be at risk of eviction.  There was a need to look at what the Council had in terms of available accommodation for such tenants.  One option could be to look at supported accommodation. 

Tenants would be encouraged, where suitable, and by way of financial assistance, to downsize.

In terms of keeping tenants up to date, officers had contacted affected tenants to inform them of the implications of the Welfare Reform Act.  Information on the implications was also provided on various newsletters distributed or made available to new and prospective tenants.

7.2.3

RESOLVED: That the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee:-

(a)

notes the information contained in the paper now submitted, together with the information reported as part of the presentation and the responses provided to the questions raised; and

(b)

requests officers to pursue Option 3 – Allocation tightened to reflect current supply shortage in line with Welfare Reforms with relaxed criteria for specified circumstances, and for officers to commence work on developing this option with immediate effect.

7.3

Age Designation

7.3.1

Sharon Schonborn gave a presentation on Age Designation, indicating why age banding had originally been introduced, the relationship between banding and housing supply, possible alternatives if there was no age designation, results of consultation on age designation and details of the possible options for Members to give a steer on.

7.3.2

RESOLVED: That the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee:-

(a)

notes the information contained in the paper now submitted and the information as part of the presentation; and

(b)

requests officers to pursue Option 3 – Remove all 40+ age designations and reduce 60+ age designations to only specified properties identified through comprehensive review, with the manner in how the age designations are arranged to be determined by Members in consultation with relevant officers.