Brighton & Hove City Council

Council                                                                        Agenda Item 28

Subject:                      Tackling Short-Term Lets

Date of meeting:       11 July 2024

Proposer:                   Councillor McLeay

Seconder:                  Councillor Goldsmith

NOTICE OF MOTION

Green Group

This council notes:

1) The high cost of rent and low availability of housing in the city, which reflects a market in which power is unfairly weighted towards landlords;

2) The negative impact which the high number of unregulated short-term let properties are having on housing availability for the local community;

3) The previous Government’s promise to provide Councils with the planning powers to regulate short-term lets, which did not materialise ahead of the dissolution of Parliament.

Therefore, Council resolves to:

1) Request that a report from the Cabinet Member for Finance and City Regeneration be brought to an upcoming Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting, outlining what the Council can do to prepare for planning powers to control short term lets becoming available so an Article 4 Direction (A4D) can be implemented at the earliest opportunity. Suggested areas the report may cover include:

a. identifying suitable area(s) within the city that the A4D should apply to;

b. beginning to collate the evidence needed to show why the A4D is necessary for these areas, including the required public consultation;

c. outlining how the Council can effectively enforce the A4D, should people not seek the proper permission for short-term lets.

2) Request that the Leader of the Council write to the new Secretary of State for Local Government, calling on them to:

a. make these powers available to Councils at the earliest opportunity;

b. ensure that loopholes already-identified, such as the 12-month amnesty period, are closed to make sure the legislation can be truly effective.