Agenda item - Review of the Council’s Housing Allocation Policy

Report of the Acting Executive Director, Environment, Development & Housing (copy attached).

1)              That a review and consultation of the Policy used to allocate social housing in the city be approved.

2)              That a new Housing Allocation Scheme is submitted for approval to a future Housing & New Homes Committee by the end of March 2016.

24.1   The Committee considered the report of the Acting Executive Director Environment, Development and Housing which proposed that the council carried out a fundamental review of the policy used to allocate council housing and to nominate to housing associations.  This would mean developing a new Housing Allocations Policy in consultation with a number of statutory and voluntary sector organisations.  Residents would also be key stakeholders in the development and consultation of the policy.  This was to ensure that the council made the best use of the limited housing resources available.  The review would be subject to full ratification at a future meeting of the Committee. The report was presented by the Service Improvement Manager. 

24.2   Councillor Mears referred to paragraph 3.5 which stated that the     current policy did not conform to the latest government guidance.  She           felt it would have been helpful to have seen the latest policy guidance.        Councillor Mears referred to the last two lines of paragraph 3.6 and           said she wanted to see the pilot evaluation reported back to the      Committee.   

24.3    Councillor Barnett stated that she welcomed the new review.  She was aware that all over the city business people were being housed in social housing.  The Service Improvement Manager replied that there were financial caps to deal with fraud.  The Chair informed Councillor Barnett that it would be helpful if she was to pass on details of cases that concerned her to officers.

24.4    Councillor Miller welcomed the government approach to charge full rent if earnings were £30,000 or more.  He welcomed the review and noted that 22,000 were currently on the waiting list. Councillor Miller asked if officers had considered looking at whether some of these people had now moved away.  He agreed that there should be focus on those people who would make a positive contribution and who were in most dire need.

24.5    The Service Improvement Manager explained that a future report could suggest options for everyone to re-register, caps on income and positive contribution along with other  options.  The aim was to provide clarity on what decisions could be made by members.   

24.6   Councillor Atkinson stated that he received many queries about the policy and welcomed the review. He also welcomed the possibility of being able to understand the pieces of legislation behind the policy.

24.7   Councillor Gibson referred to paragraph 1.1 which stated that there was a need to ensure the council made the best use of the limited housing resources available.   He asked what was meant by ‘best use’.  He wanted to know by what criteria the review would be measured against.  The Head of Temporary Accommodation & Allocation replied that there were several criteria used to allow the list to get down to a manageable size.  Subject to the consideration of legal criteria it was up to the council to decide on priorities.  For example, the council might want to use the allocations policy to save money in terms of homelessness and to concentrate on housing people on low incomes.  There would be a range of options that would be brought to a future meeting.  

24.8       RESOLVED:-

(1)            That a review and consultation of the Policy used to allocate social housing in the city be approved.

(2)            That a new Housing Allocation Scheme is submitted for approval to a future Housing & New Homes Committee by the end of March 2016.