Issue - meetings

To review the Council’s Lettings Policy and approve amendments as necessary in light of changes in legislation, new statutory guidance and rulings made in the Courts.

(Executive Councillor: Cllr R Fuller)

That Cabinet approve the amended Lettings Policy, as attached as Appendix 1 to the report (now submitted).

Executive Councillors were invited to consider a report by the Housing Needs and Resources Manager, along with its related Appendix (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book), presenting the revised Lettings Policy. Members were advised that the changes to the Policy were necessary in light of new legislation and recent caselaw relating to allocation schemes to social rented housing. The main points of change to the Policy reflected changes as a result of the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 in April 2018 with amendments to both the duties that the Council must perform in order to prevent and relieve homelessness, and decisions in caselaw that have clarified that Councils are unable to exclude from their housing register applicants that fall within defined ‘reasonable preference’ categories, as defined within the Housing Act 1996. The proposed amendments to the Policy would ensure that the Policy remained legal and that the risk of legal challenge was minimised. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the amended Lettings Policy, as attached as Appendix 1 to the report now submitted, be approved.

The Panel are to receive a report on the Lettings Policy Review.