Issue - meetings

The report considers a number of amendments to the Housing Allocations Scheme reflect feedback and experience since its introduction in 2023.

The Housing Allocations Scheme set out how the Council would assess and prioritise applications made for social housing in the district and ensured that only those who had a need for affordable housing, and a local connection to the area were prioritised.   Following the launch of the new Housing Allocations Scheme in June 2023, a one year post implementation review had been completed and some amendments made in line with ongoing feedback and experience.

The report of the Director of Housing, Planning and Environmental Health asked that consideration be given to these amendments and agreement was sought to entering a period of engagement with the Council’s registered providers, and then make and implement any amendments. A list of key proposed amendments was set out at paragraph 3.1 of the report.

Cabinet had due regard to the financial and value for money considerations and the legal implications and recognised that if the current Scheme were not amended and continued to operate as it was, this might lead to the Council being open to challenge and not meeting the needs of applicants if the Scheme were not kept under review.

RESOLVED: That

(1)        a period of engagement on the amendments to the Housing Allocation Scheme set out at 3.1 of the report, be entered into with the Council’s registered providers; and

(2)        authority be delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing to agree the final revised Housing Allocations Scheme once feedback from the engagement phase has been considered.