Issue - meetings

[Report of the Assistant Director for Housing. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.]

A report requesting approval to consult on an amendment to the Council's Allocations Policy to allow for a Neighbourhood Moves Scheme to be applied for new Council homes built or acquired by the Council, allowing Secure Tenants living nearby first priority for these homes.

[Clerk’s note Cllr Ibrahim returned to the meeting at 7.25pm]

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal introduced the report which sought approval for a consultation to amend the Housing Allocations Policy to allow for a Neighbourhood Moves Scheme. The Neighbourhood Moves Scheme would apply automatically on any new housing development with 5 or more new Council rented homes unless Cabinet made the decision to exclude a new housing development. The proposed Scheme would give existing Council tenants priority for new homes that are built in their neighbourhood, particularly those who are living in homes which are too big or too small.

RESOLVED

1. To note the Equalities Impact Assessment at Appendix 1.
2. To note the proposed alterations to the Housing Allocations Policy attached at Appendix 2.
3. To note the Draft Neighbourhood Moves Scheme attached at Appendix 3 which will be attached to the Housing Allocations Policy.
4. To approve a consultation on these proposed amendments to the Housing Allocations Policy.

5. To delegate approval of the Consultation Documents to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.

6. To note that following consideration of the consultation responses, a second Cabinet report will be submitted to give final approval of the amendments to the Allocations Policy.

Reasons for decision

The proposed changes will honour the Estate Renewal Rehousing and Payments Policy, as well as seek to address over-crowding by releasing larger family homes which are under-occupied and allowing over-crowded households to move locally. It will also support community cohesion.

Recommendation 3.2 is required to allow changes to be made to the Housing Allocations Policy.

Alternative options considered

An alternative option is to consult on a Local Lettings Plan for each scheme individually. This is not recommended because there are a large number of schemes in the development pipeline, and consulting on a Local Lettings Plan for each scheme individually is not practical.

Another alternative option is not to apply the Neighbourhood Moves Scheme on new Council housing. This was rejected because, firstly, this Scheme will help address both under-occupancy and over-crowding, and secondly because it will allow residents to benefit from new Council housing being built in their local area.