Issue - items at meetings - Local Lettings Plan - General Needs Housing

Report of Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached).

(1)       That the restrictions favouring households without young children are removed.  Where problems associated with child density exist in a specific block or estate, then temporary Local Letting Plans of up to 12 months may be agreed by the Cabinet Member for Housing.  The impact of this will be reviewed after 12 months operation.

(2)       That all restrictions preventing letting of one bedroom property to single people are removed.  This policy, no longer implemented, still formally applies to a few blocks and therefore should be formally revoked.

(3)       That a pilot Local Lettings Plan of 12 months duration be agreed whereby up to 25% of property with two bedrooms or more in nine key deprived areas are designated for households where at least one adult has been in paid employment for a minimum of 16 hours a week for at least three months.  Mobility standard flats are excluded.  The eight areas are: South Whitehawk, Central Whitehawk, North Whitehawk, Central Moulsecoomb, East Moulsecoomb, Knoll, Hangleton, Hollingdean and Tarner.  This will help increase economic balance within the most deprived communities where few people work and benefit dependency is viewed as the norm.

(4)       That a pilot Local Lettings Plan over a 12 month period be agreed whereby up to 20 ground and first floor flats are identified as lets where preference will be given to tenants in the same block who need to move to a lower floor to meet needs associated with lessening mobility and/or for personal safety as part of a Personal Evacuation Plan.  Mobility standard flats are excluded unless the transferring tenant has a specific need for that type of property.  This will be reviewed after 12 months.  

25.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which reported that the Council had to regularly review and adopt Local Lettings Plans in order to be legally compliant and ensure that the plans met the council’s objectives.  Current arrangements had been reviewed and new proposals considered as set out in the report.  There had been extensive stakeholder consultation, the outcome of which was included in the report (for copy see minute book).

25.2    RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:

(1)       That the restrictions favouring households without young children are removed.  Where problems associated with child density exist in a specific block or estate, then temporary Local Letting Plans of up to 12 months may be agreed by the Cabinet Member for Housing.  The impact of this will be reviewed after 12 months operation.

(2)       That all restrictions preventing letting of one bedroom property to single people are removed.  This policy, no longer implemented, still formally applies to a few blocks and therefore should be formally revoked.

(3)       That a pilot Local Lettings Plan of 12 months duration be agreed whereby up to 25% of property with two bedrooms or more in nine key deprived areas are designated for households where at least one adult has been in paid employment for a minimum of 16 hours a week for at least three months.  Mobility standard flats are excluded.  The eight areas are: South Whitehawk, Central Whitehawk, North Whitehawk, Central Moulsecoomb, East Moulsecoomb, Knoll, Hangleton, Hollingdean and Tarner.  This will help increase economic balance within the most deprived communities where few people work and benefit dependency is viewed as the norm.

(4)       That a pilot Local Lettings Plan over a 12 month period be agreed whereby up to 20 ground and first floor flats are identified as lets where preference will be given to tenants in the same block who need to move to a lower floor to meet needs associated with lessening mobility and/or for personal safety as part of a Personal Evacuation Plan.  Mobility standard flats are excluded unless the transferring tenant has a specific need for that type of property.  This will be reviewed after 12 months.