Agenda item - Short Term Lets

Report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture (Copy Attached).

RESOLVED: that the Tourism, Equalities, Communities, and Culture Committee:

1. Agreed that officers should submit a response to the government’s call for evidence to inform the development of a tourist accommodation registration scheme. (see Appendix 3).

2. Noted the updated information in this paper following the previous report to TECC in March 2020.

29.1 Julia Gallagher introduced the report starting on page 187 of the Agenda.

29.2 Councillor Evans moved the Labour Amendment on page 5 of Addendum 2, which was seconded by Councillor Robins.

29.3 Councillor Ebel raised that she sympathised with the Labour Amendment and that a voluntary registration scheme would probably not help with the worst offenders of tourism accommodation, but waiting for a Government-led registration scheme would come with more powers to shut down problem houses more quickly.

29.4 Councillor Osborne raised that there would be resource implications if the Amendment was passed, and in the consultation response it says that the Council would like to go further than just a registration scheme, for example putting caps on the number of AirBnBs in the city.

29.5 Councillor Grimshaw raised that this Amendment would be a chance to send out a powerful message that work is being done to combat short term lets in the city.

29.6 Councillor Littman raised that he didn’t know how long the Government would take to act, and introducing a voluntary scheme for Brighton and Hove would have resource implications, and wouldn’t necessarily be successful.

29.7 Councillor Bagaeen raised that a voluntary registration scheme wouldn’t affect the impact of short term lets in the city.

29.10 The Committee voted against the Labour Amendment.

RESOLVED:

That the Tourism, Equalities, Communities, and Culture Committee:

1. Agreed that officers should submit a response to the government’s call for evidence to inform the development of a tourist accommodation registration scheme. (see Appendix 3).

2. Noted the updated information in this paper following the previous report to TECC in March 2020.