None.

To confirm and sign, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 September 2024 (Appendix ‘A’).

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 September 2024 were held to be correct.

Cllr Gracey.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable and non-registrable interests in items on the agenda.

None.

The report was outlined to members. The proposed changes included the need to have a local connection through family and a health or welfare need to reside in the Borough was clarified. The time period for retaining a local connection when out of borough offers were made in the discharge of a prevention duty was also adjusted. The retention of a local connection was introduced for accepting offers of out of borough accommodation made as part of the relief and main housing duty for homeless households. The income thresholds for singles, couples and families were increased, and the disqualification periods were adjusted to be more proportionate to the behaviour shown. The age for individual bedrooms was increased from 16 to 18 years to allow better stock management, although it was clarified that only same sex siblings would share bedrooms. Families threatened with homelessness would be moved from Band B to C and relief and main housing duty cases were moved from Band C to D to encourage earlier intervention.

It was resolved that the Committee: 

Granted permission to consult on the draft proposed changes to the Housing Allocation Scheme.

Delegate the authority to make minor amendments to the Allocation Scheme to the Corporate Head of Housing in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Housing Committee

The report was outlined to members. Concerns were raised over Council properties being bought under the Right to Buy scheme and converted to HMOs where there is a covenant to only use them as a single-family dwelling. Members were assured that there was an intention to look into identifying breaches and engaging legal support if action was required.  Discussion centred around how strict a covenant between the Council and potential buyers should be as case law indicates that covenants must not unreasonably restrict the future property ownership rights.

It was resolved that the Committee:

Approved the Right to Buy (Discretionary Powers) and Lease Extension Policy for immediate adoption.

The report was outlined to members. It was confirmed that the new system would improve communication between the Council and tenants and ensure all service requests would be logged and dealt with appropriately.

It was resolved that the Committee:

Approved the £45,350 provisionally allocated in the HRA budget to purchase and implement upgraded functionality to the existing IT system.

The report was outlined to members, and the factors affecting the contractor’s performance were outlined. Members were then talked through the tenant satisfaction measures and complaints data. The Chair updated members on his attendance at a conference run by the Housing Ombudsman, and stressed that the Housing department’s complaints rate was significantly lower than those of other councils and housing associations, which spoke of the strength of the team. Members were gratified to see that the decent homes standard was improving and was in line with the progress trajectory agreed with the Regulator of Social Housing. Concerns were raised over the increasing number of calendar days to re-let a void property. It was explained that this was linked to issues with the contractor, which were in the process of being rectified. Concerns were raised over the two damp and mould complaints, and members were reassured that there were robust processes in place to ensure tenants did not suffer with damp and mould.

This item has been added to the agenda in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.  The requirement for the item was not confirmed until after the publication of the agenda.

Reasons for urgency

The deadline for Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 applications is 12 noon on 25 November 2024.  The next ordinary meeting of the Housing Committee is not scheduled to take place until 15 January 2025.  Delaying consideration of this item will preclude the Council from applying to access significant levels of funding.

It was clarified that recommendation two would replace the word ‘approve’ with ‘finalise’. The report was outlined to members.

It was resolved that the Committee:

I.               Approved the submission of a bid to the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3.

II.              Delegate authority to the Corporate Head of Housing in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Housing Committee to finalise a bid to the fund – including final costs and the Council’s contribution

III.            Noted that should a bid to the fund be successful, the service is on track to deliver a C energy efficiency rating before the 2030 target approved by this committee.