Issue - meetings

This report provides an analysis of housing supply and demand issues, including performance in 2013/14 and challenges for 2014/15 onwards. A number of recommendations are made in order to manage these challenges. These include consultation on revisions to the Council’s Allocations Scheme.

(i)         that the analysis of housing supply and demand issues, including performance in 2013/14 and challenges for 2014/15 onwards be noted;

(ii)        that the target proportion of social lettings for 2014-15 for homeless, housing register and transfer applicants be agreed;

(iii)       that it be noted that consultation with Registered Providers, households on the Housing Register and the voluntary sector has commenced on a proposed revision to the Allocation Scheme that would enable the direct allocation of social housing to Overall Benefit Cap affected households who have been living in temporary accommodation for longer than the average waiting time to receive an allocation of social housing for their bedroom category, and following the consultation a further report for decision on this revision be submitted;

(iv)       that it be noted that consultation with Registered Providers, households on the Housing Register and the voluntary sector has commenced on other proposed revisions to the allocation scheme as outlined in the report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth and detailed in Appendix D. Following the consultation a further report would be presented to Cabinet for decision on proposed revisions.

The report from the Strategic Director Regeneration and Growth provided an analysis of housing supply and demand issues, including performance in 2013/14 and challenges for 2014/15 onwards. A number of recommendations were made in order to manage the challenges including consultation on revisions to the council’s Allocations Scheme.

Councillor McLennan (Lead Member, Regeneration and Housing) summarised the challenges over the past year but was pleased to report that in 2014/15 there was projected to be 673 lettings into social housing. Areas of focus in 2014/15 would be homelessness prevention and helping to increase the supply of private sector accommodation.

Councillor Mashari (Lead Member, Employment and Skills) referred to the adverse impact of the benefits cap and was pleased to note that last year some temporary accommodation households had found employment and so had become exempt from the cap. Members welcomed the proposed amendments to the Allocations Scheme (which would require further consultation) in particular Auto-bidding and the ability to make an increased number of Direct Offers.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the analysis of housing supply and demand issues, including performance in 2013/14 and challenges for 2014/15 onwards be noted;

(ii)        that the target proportion of social lettings for 2014-15 for homeless, housing register and transfer applicants be agreed;

(iii)       that it be noted that consultation with Registered Providers, households on the Housing Register and the voluntary sector has commenced on a proposed revision to the Allocation Scheme that would enable the direct allocation of social housing to Overall Benefit Cap affected households who have been living in temporary accommodation for longer than the average waiting time to receive an allocation of social housing for their bedroom category, and following the consultation a further report for decision on this revision be submitted;

(iv)       that it be noted that consultation with Registered Providers, households on the Housing Register and the voluntary sector has commenced on other proposed revisions to the allocation scheme as outlined in the report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth and detailed in Appendix D. Following the consultation a further report would be presented to Cabinet for decision on proposed revisions.