Agenda item

6.1

Sharon Schonborn, Allocations Policy Review Manager, Communities, gave a presentation on the draft Lettings Policy Review, reporting on why the review had been undertaken, the work undertaken so far as part of the review, the draft Allocations Policy, the Housing Register and how the Council would be deciding between the various housing needs.  She referred to all the various aspects in terms of the proposed procedures relating to looking for a property and offers of accommodation and concluded by reporting on the next steps, including the deadlines in terms of the adoption of the Policy, and subsequent implementation.  In terms of the next steps, it was reported that consultation on the Policy would be held during November and December 2012, there would be an analysis of the consultation and the final Policy document produced in January 2013, which would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval on 20^th March 2013.

6.2

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

·               Those people suffering financial hardship in terms of reduced benefit payments following a requirement to downsize would not be deemed to have critical needs.  Only those in serious danger and therefore, requiring to move immediately, would be included in the critical band and granted priority.  Any tenants suffering financial hardship would have the opportunity of applying for discretionary housing payments in the short-term.

·               There were safeguards in place to ensure that applicants were not able to bid for properties that they were not entitled to.  The new IT system would ensure that applicants were only able to access details of those properties in accordance with their individual eligibility.  In those situations where applicants were assisted by Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations (TARAs) or other similar organisations, such organisations would be able to receive a print-out of all available properties, but the application would have to be made by the tenant, who would only be able to apply for properties they were eligible for.

·               In terms of equality of opportunity implications, officers had looked at any barriers facing applicants, and how such barriers could be overcome.  Action Plans had been devised in terms of barriers and what could be put in place to help applicants overcome these barriers. Targetted consultation was being carried out with those groups adversely affected by the tightened bedroom eligibility criteria, such as those with overnight access to children who don’t live with them all of the time and people with health issues, and requiring an additional bedroom.  

·               There were a number of safety nets in place to deal with those situations where people were experiencing delays in being rehoused and were either not receiving any benefit or were in receipt of a reduced amount of benefit.  In some cases, tenants would be able to apply for discretionary housing payments in the short-term.  All cases would be handled very sensitively and there was a considerable amount of flexibility in the Policy to ensure tenants were assisted.

·               It was not likely that people who put their name on the Council waiting list when they got married sometime ago, would still be on the list as regular rolling reviews of the waiting list were undertaken and under the new Policy, applicants would have to register on the waiting list annually.

·               If people intentionally made themselves homeless by failing to pay their rent, they would not get priority for Council housing.  A review of an applicant’s five-year address history would be considered as part of any applications.

6.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the contents of the report now submitted, the information reported as part of the presentation and the responses to the questions now raised;

(b)      expresses its thanks and appreciation to all the Officers and Members, including those Members of the former Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Committee, for all the excellent work undertaken in connection with the Lettings Policy Review; and

(c)      requests that a report on the draft Lettings Policy be submitted to its meeting to be held on 10^th January 2013.