Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Housing presented a report on proposals to amend some of the recent policy changes in respect of the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy.

Two aspects had been reviewed, the first in relation to the length of the residential qualification requirement approved by Cabinet on 8 April 2014 (Minute 106 (i)(a)) and the second in relation to the allocation of Council homes let above social rent levels approved by Cabinet on 18 December 2013 (Minute 76(v)).  The Cabinet Member explained that the 10-year residential qualification requirement due to be introduced from 1 September 2014 had been reviewed in the light of decisions taken by the neighbouring Councils of Havering, Newham and Redbridge to set their residential qualification at three years.  The Cabinet Member also referred to the six key issues covered in paragraph 2.1 of the report that supported a reduction to a three-year qualification, which included reference to the Equalities Impact Assessment carried out as part of the original proposal that had indicated that a residential qualification requirement over five years could have disproportionate impacts within the local community.

In respect of the allocation of Council homes let above social rent levels, it was felt appropriate to extend the criteria to enable working households from outside of the Borough to qualify in the event that there was insufficient demand from those in employment who currently lived in the Borough to, amongst others, help to promote social and economic regeneration.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To agree the following changes to the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy, to take effect from 3 November 2014:

(a)  A revised three-year residential requirement for all new applications to be placed on the Housing Register;

(b)  Council homes with rents above social rent levels should be exclusively for working households and not restricted to borough residents if there is insufficient demand within the borough;

(c)  That the policy be reviewed annually.

(ii)  To agree the revocation of the decision made by Minute 106 (i) (a) of the Cabinet on 8 April 2014 to implement, with effect from 1 September 2014, a 10-year residential requirement.