Issue - meetings

Item SH 14/28 referred from Strategic Housing Advisory Board minutes of 10 November 2014

(Item SH 14/28 referred from Strategic Housing Advisory Board Minutes of 10  November 2014)

Consideration of recommendations to the Cabinet from the Strategic Housing Advisory Board of 10 November 2014.

The Cabinet resolved that:

The recommendations of the Strategic Housing Advisory Board be approved as follows:

Subject to a re-evaluation of the proposed financial thresholds and inclusion of a ‘Band D’ rather than the disqualification of applicants, the proposed content and timetable for revisions to the Housing Allocations scheme, as presented to the meeting, be endorsed.

Item SH 14/28 referred from Strategic Housing Advisory Board Minutes of 10  November 2014

Decision Notice D150011CAB

The joint report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health and the Cabinet Member for Housing, together with a presentation by the Chief Housing Officer, provided an update on the review of the Council’s Housing Allocations Scheme following the introduction of the Localism Act 2011.  Details of proposed revisions to the Scheme, which had been in operation since September 2013, were set out in the presentation and particular reference was made to the need to address operational and strategic issues which had emerged since implementation of the scheme, to consider recent Government guidance and to reflect changes in the housing market and economy.  Details of the proposed timetable for revisions to the scheme were presented at the meeting and the Board noted that a detailed report would be submitted to its meeting on 23 February 2015. 

A number of Members expressed concern about the proposal to disqualify applicants if they did not meet the financial thresholds and preferred the retention of the current criteria whereby they would be classified in ‘Band D’.  Other Members expressed concern that retention on the scheme provided a ‘false hope’ that an applicant would be offered affordable housing and expressed a preference for disqualification.  The Board commended officers for a comprehensive report on a complex issue.

RECOMMENDED:  That, subject to a re-evaluation of the proposed financial thresholds and inclusion of a ‘Band D’ rather than the disqualification of applicants, the proposed content and timetable for revisions to the Housing Allocations scheme, as presented to the meeting, be commended to Cabinet for endorsement. 

* Referred to Cabinet

[In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.5 Councillor D Cure asked that his vote against the inclusion of a ‘Band D’ and for the disqualification of applicants be recorded.]