Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing

Stockport Council’s housing allocation policy was last fully reviewed in December 2016 and outlines who can seek rehousing through the local authority, the properties they can apply for and how people are prioritised for available homes.  This relates to both the letting of Council owned properties, and nominations to housing associations within the Borough. 

The policy must adhere to a legal framework outlined in part 6 of the 1996 Housing Act, an element of which mandates that certain groups of applicants must be given ‘reasonable’ preference in determining who is allocated properties.  This already applies to people who are homeless and some who face losing their accommodation within 28 days, but the 2017 Homelessness Reduction Act, which comes into effect from April 2018, will mean preference needs to be given to all applicants who are threatened with homelessness within 56 days.

This report recommends the extension of rehousing preference to applicants meeting this criterion, ensuring legal compliance and offering greater assistance to those at risk of losing accommodation.  In addition, while not altering the priority afforded to applicants who are actually homeless, changes to the wording of the policy are required to reflect the legal framework created by the new act.

The Cabinet is recommended to approve the proposed changes to the Council’s Housing Allocation Policy set out at Appendix 1.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax, 0161 474 4319, andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to consider the Housing Allocation Policy that set out how people were prioritised for available homes when seeking rehousing by the Council. The policy was developed in line with the legal framework established by the Housing Act 1996, but also reflecting new requirements in the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

RESOLVED - That the proposed changes to the Council’s Housing Allocation Policy as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report outlines proposed amendments to the Council’s Housing Allocation Policy.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 0161 474 4319 or e-mail: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing amendments to the Council’s Housing Allocation Policy to ensure that the Policy complies with the provisions of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.  Specifically, while the policy already provided for ‘reasonable’ preference to those who were homeless and some who faced losing their accommodation within 28 days, this would not be extended to all applicants who were threatened with homelessness within 56 days.  In addition, while not altering the priority afforded to applicants who were actually homeless, changes to the wording of the policy were required to reflect the legal framework created by the new act.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Points were not accrued beyond the fourth year an applicant was on the housing waiting list to prevent that becoming the determining factor in the allocation of a home.

·         While the policy stated that an applicant would be ineligible for housing if they had housing related debt to a private landlord in excess of £1,000 to avoid a person who intentionally made themselves homeless being given priority for housing, consideration was given to the individual circumstances of the applicant.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.