Issue - meetings

Minute 629 refers

RESOLVED – that (A) the East Herts Housing Register and Allocations Policy as now submitted at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be adopted;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Director of Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, for any future minor procedural or process changes to be included in the policy; and

(C)      a review of the impact of the specific issues now detailed be undertaken in 6 months, with a full review of the policy being submitted to Community Scrutiny Committee in March 2014.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report proposing a revised Housing Register and Allocations Policy.  She referred to the policy issues raised by the implementation of the Localism Act 2011 and outlined the consultation to date on the proposed changes.

The Executive Member highlighted the main policy changes and stated that the purpose was to ensure that the Council was clear and transparent in dealing with applicants.  She proposed amending one of the qualification criteria for accessing the register, namely the salary threshold for total household income being raised from £45k to £48k per annum.

Some Members queried the changes in respect of local connection and the impact this could have on family ties.  It had been proposed to reduce the District Connection from 50 points to 20 points for applicants with a family member living in the District who were not resident in the District themselves.  Applicants resident within the District with a family connection would retain 50 points.

Questions were also raised in respect of the proposed threshold on settlements with over 1000 residents (defined as electors).  It was suggested that this might exclude a number of settlements from benefitting from the intended promotion of community cohesion.

The Executive Member for Finance suggested that the salary threshold, whether £45k or £48k, was too high and should be lower, so that residents on lower incomes were prioritised.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support responded to a number of the matters raised and queried whether the report could be deferred.  Officer advised that a new policy needed to be in place by April 2013.  The Executive Member, therefore, suggested that in addition to reviewing the policy in 12 months, a review of the impact of the issues of concern be undertaken in 6 months.

The Executive supported the recommendations as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the East Herts Housing Register and Allocations Policy as now submitted at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be adopted;

(B)      authority be delegated to the Director of Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, for any future minor procedural or process changes to be included in the policy; and

(C)      a review of the impact of the specific issues now detailed be undertaken in 6 months, with a full review of the policy being submitted to Community Scrutiny Committee in March 2014.