Issue - meetings

The seven year Housing Strategy sets out how the Council will meet the housing challenges facing the borough and how it will provide opportunity in terms of the housing and housing services provided currently and into the future.

This item was replaced by the supplementary agenda ‘Housing Strategy Consultation’, shown as item 11.

THIS SUPPLEMENT REPLACES ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA

The attached draft housing strategy documents, approved at Cabinet on 21^st May 2012, are presented to the Committee for consultation. They replace the old version of the Housing Strategy which was inadvertently circulated at item 10 on the agenda.

The following documents are attached;

Page 1 – Building a Housing Ladder of Opportunity – Report to Cabinet 21May 2012

Page 25 – Draft Housing Strategy

Page 45 – Draft Tenancy Strategy

Page 70 – Draft Housing Allocation Scheme

Page 115 – Draft Homelessness Strategy

Page 138 – Case Studies

Page 143 – Initial Screening Equality Impact Analysis

Councillor Carlebach declared a personal interest in that he had been a member of the Cabinet at the time the draft strategy had been approved, and remained at the meeting but did not vote.

Mike England presented the report which incorporated four documents providing a statement of the Council’s intent in driving forward the housing agenda and ‘Building a Housing Ladder of Opportunity’. The documents were consultation drafts of the Housing Strategy, Tenancy Strategy, Scheme of Allocation and Homelessness Strategy, which had been approved by Cabinet.

The draft Tenancy Strategy proposed fixed-term tenancies for new social housing letting, typically five years, but two years in cases such as special schemes for working households. This did not automatically mean that tenants at the end of their fixed tern tenancies would not be able to have their tenancies renewed. In addition, there were a number of exceptions where secure/assured tenancies would still be granted. The implementation of the Tenancy Strategy would not affect existing tenants housed by all registered providers, i.e. the Council in its landlord role and housing associations.

The new Scheme of Allocation would give  greater priority to those who were working, those in training leading to employment and those making a significant  contribution to the community. It proposed changes to the Housing Register to clarify who qualified for Housing and restricted access to the Register to those who had a reasonable chance of being re-housed. It was proposed to replace the Choice-Based Lettings system with a system of ‘Assisted Choice’. More detailed information in respect of people’s requirements would be collected, and applicants would be offered a number of options.

The draft Homelessness Strategy set out how the Council would meet its statutory obligations in providing services to vulnerable people, but also proposed the fundamental change of breaking the automatic link between a homelessness application and a social housing tenancy through using its prospective powers to discharge its duty in the private housing sector. 

Mr England stated that the consultation period had been extended by one week to 25 July 2012. There had been consultation with key agencies responsible for approving and/or delivering the Housing strategy and also with homeless groups. The consultation document was available on both the Council and the locata websites..

In response to a question, Mr England stated that it was intended to make available a  summary of the consultation submissions, and agreed to make available the submissions to the committee.

Action:

Consultation responses to be made available to the committee.

Action: Mike England

In response to a question, Mr England confirmed that the Accessible Register would be maintained.

Councillor Cowan commented on the ‘Ladder of Opportunity’ that even with the Governments’ discounts for eligible households,  home ownership remained of high value.

Mr England referred to the Government’s consultation 'High Income Social Tenants: Pay to Stay', which set out the proposals to give councils and housing associations new powers to charge social tenants a higher rent where the income of a  sole occupier, or the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11

Members considered a report seeking approval and endorsement of the Building a Housing Ladder of Opportunity strategy paper incorporating the draft Housing Strategy, draft Tenancy Strategy, draft Scheme of Allocation and draft Homelessness Strategy.

Councillor Aherne expressed concern that the withdrawal from the “LOCATA”  will put H&F tenants in a worst position to access social housing.  People will have less choice under the proposed allocation policy.  He inquired, who was the reported person on the waiting list since 1976?.  He noted that the Westfield development phase 2 planning application provided for 95 homes for rent.  However, the document had indicated 25% of new homes built should be for rent.

In response, it was stated that the system of Choice based lettings through  “LOCATA” had failed.  The inefficient Housing Register created false hopes and expectations and withdrawing from LOCATA will provide a better system for applicants through assisted choice.  The Council is still a member of the West London Housing Partnership.  A person being on the waiting list for over 35 years without qualifying for social housing justifies the reason to pull out of the “LOCATA”.  The new Scheme of Allocation will give a greater priority to those who are working, those in training leading to employment and those making a significant contribution to the community.  A significantly higher proportion of lettings will go to such groups.

As part of the strategic plan, the Council was relying on 25% of houses to be built within the White City area not just by Westfield.  It was explained that there was a complicated calculation attached to the number of homes for rent to be built by Westfield.  95 new homes for rent is the minimum guaranteed figure. Any additional homes built for rent would be determined by the level of public subsidy available and some other conditions. In the majority of cases, the 5 year limit on tenancies will not affect existing tenants.  The proposals will clarify that this does not affect statutory tenants

Councillor Cowan asked for clarification of the term a realistic chance of getting a home.  He also requested for the analysis and methodology used to calculate the impact of the policy and how the £40,000 income threshold for access to social housing was determined.

The meeting as informed that 95% of those on the waiting list fell within Band D, therefore, they would not qualify for a home.  Under the new proposals only people with a reasonable prospect of being housed will be accepted onto the Register.  The Choice based letting system will be replaced with an “Assisted Choice” offering applicants a more realistic opportunity to secure social housing.  In order to increase the number of larger properties available, some tenants will be incentivised to downsize and the Council will look at expanding the size of some existing properties.   The Council’s current stock meets the urgent housing needs of residents.  It accepts that it cannot re-house everyone on the housing waiting list.

RESOLVED:

That the Draft Housing Strategy,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 240