Issue - meetings

The Committee considered the report of the Homechoice and Strategy Team Leader which detailed proposed changes to the Council’s Housing Allocation Scheme.

It was proposed to rename the Housing Register bands to greater reflect the qualifying criteria as the current banding criteria had been wrongly interpreted as denoting priority.  Therefore the new banding would be as follows:-

Band C – Community Contribution and Homeless Prevention

Band H - Homeless

Band M – Medical and Health Assistance

Band R – Reasonable Preference

It was noted that the amendments to the proposed scheme were being proposed to support homelessness prevention by encouraging applicants to remain in their current accommodation and avoid the use of temporary accommodation.  By applying a new band criteria households there would be less ‘Direct Lettings’ and those put into the Band C – Community Contribution and Homeless Prevention would have opportunity to secure affordable housing. 

In response to questions from Members, Officers advised that:-

·  The amendments to the scheme were seen as the fairest and simplest way of allocation.

·  Officers tried to match the applicant’s requirements with the type of properties available.  However if the applicant did not want to progress with the property after viewing it, Officers would email the applicant to find out the reasons why they refused it and  reset the priority date if the motive specified was assessed as unreasonable.  This process could take up to 56 days but was normally dealt with in a short period of time.

·  There are very few refusals and Officers would not amend the priority date if a valid reason for refusal was given.  However, there was an appeal process.

·  Mutual exchanges operate outside of the Council’s allocation scheme are dependent on the type of tenancy held.  In the main, local housing associations do permit their tenants to explore mutual exchanges as a means of enabling transfers between consenting parties. 

·  On certain schemes priority was given to those with a local connection to a parish area for new builds in rural areas. 

·  That if a homeless person has a pet, that would be taken into consideration when trying to match them up.

RESOLVED:  That the Committee agrees the proposed changes to the Council’s Allocations Scheme.