Issue - meetings

Received a report presenting a draft copy of the new housing allocations policy, ‘More Choice in Lettings’, which complies with the amendments to Part VI of the Housing Act 1996, introduced by the Homelessness Act 2002 and which will replace the existing complex points system.

Agreed, in order to comply with the requirements of the Homelessness Act 2002 and produce a lettings system which is more open and transparent, contributing to the Community Priority of “Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community”, to:

1.  The new allocations policy, ‘More Choice in Lettings’, to be implemented on 1 April 2005;

2.  Open the scheme to all applicants aged 16 or over;

3.  Abolish the current practice of dealing with homeless, waiting list and transfer applicants differently in line with the legislative requirements;

4.  Authorise transitional protection for category ‘A medical’ priority cases, but otherwise review all existing applications under the new criteria; and

5.  Set the effective date of an application by the date at which the need arose.