Agenda item

(Report of the Interim Chief Operating Officer. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration). The report seeks approval of the Housing Allocation Scheme.

Cabinet considered a report, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, which sought approval of the Housing Allocation Scheme.

In introducing the report Councillor Strickland noted that demand for housing in the borough considerably outstripped supply and that it was essential that households bidding for properties had a realistic prospect of receiving an offer of a home. Therefore it was proposed that the existing bands D and E should be deleted. It was also proposed that lettings should be prioritised to residents with strong connections to the borough and therefore the residency criterion was being raised from one year to three. As part of the proposal it was noted that a Special Circumstances Panel would be established to consider cases where this might apply and detail with regard to the membership and terms of reference for this Panel would be worked up following agreement from Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

        i.            That approval be given to the changes to the Allocations Scheme as set out below:

a.      Households placed on the housing register should have a realistic chance of receiving an offer of accommodation.  Therefore the existing bands D and E should be deleted.  Consequential changes to the scheme are detailed in paragraph 5.16;

b.      Applicants (other than certain households connected to the Armed Forces) must be resident in the Borough for a minimum of 3 years before they can join the housing register. 

c.       Single people who are vulnerable and are being provided with the necessary support to live independently (through Haringey’s Pathway Model) will be awarded extra priority for social rented housing if private rented housing is unsuitable or unavailable. 

d.      The process for assessing priority to supported accommodation is reviewed, to ensure that a proper balance is struck between housing need and support needs.

e.      Additional quotas are provided for Care Leavers with children of their own and for certain households connected to the Armed Forces.

f.        An Exceptional Circumstances Panel is established to consider whether exceptions should be made to the Housing Allocations Scheme.

      ii.            That it be noted that the Leader had agreed that the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration should approve Local Lettings Plans in line with the principles set out in 5.22 to 5.27 of the report.

Alternative options considered

Significant freedoms exist in devising the Allocations Scheme, following the enactment of the Localism Act 2011, and statutory guidance from the Department of Communities and Local Government.  Any of the recommendations set out in this report could be taken or alternatively the existing allocations scheme could be maintained.

Reasons for decision

The context in which we operate in is increasingly complex and the allocations of properties are inevitably about distributing scarce resources against huge demand.  The proposals set out in this report seek to address a number of priorities including:

Ø  Contributing to the regeneration of the borough

Ø  Continuing to support those in most housing need

Ø  Providing a vehicle to move vulnerable people into independent living

Ø  Making the best use of the housing stock

Ø  Supporting the ongoing need to reduce temporary accommodation

Ø  Assisting in delivering other corporate priorities such as assisting looked after children

Ø  Offering choice but also to manage customer expectations

Ø  Providing an efficient service – including the use of self-service where ever practicable