Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Anthony Llewelyn-Davies.

Deputy Henry Jones declared a personal interest as a leaseholder on the Middlesex Street Estate, and as a business leaseholder.

Gareth Moore declared a personal interest as a tenant of the Golden Lane Estate.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

The Sub Committee considered a report and presentation of the Director of Community and Children’s Services that presented Members with a revised draft Allocations Policy. A final revised policy is to be presented to the Sub Committee in November for approval.

Members were informed that the revised Allocations Policy would provide more freedom to decide who is to be allocated social housing within the City and revise the allocation criteria of the current 2006 policy.

Considerable debate followed the presentation and a number of points were raised, among which:-

·         If the revised draft Allocations Policy was to be implemented immediately, 232 people (21%) on the City’s housing register would be removed as they have no connection to the City but they would be accepted at another local authority where they do have a proven connection.

·         Members were informed that the law would still set out groups of people to whom we must give 'reasonable preference' when allocating housing; this did not mean, however, that they would take priority all of the time.

·         Every person on the housing register could be housed in any of the social housing properties owned by the City, including the nominations the City has to the Guinness Trust estate properties at Mansell Street.

·         There may be a temporary increase in demand for housing advice by the Housing Department as any person on the housing register can appeal a decision made by the City.

·         The implementation of new Allocations Policy would need to be managed effectively to minimise negative press.

·         The Allocations Policy would be reviewed every three years.

·         The Allocations Policy would apply to all HRA social housing properties owned by the City.

·         The Director stressed the importance of communicating other options to those who may be placed on the housing register for a number of

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act as follows:-

RESOLVED - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item Nos.                                Exempt Paragraphs  Paragraph(s) in Schedule 12A

    8 - 9                                                                                     3 

  10 - 11                                                                                  -

Part 2 – Non-Public Agenda

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012 (copy attached).

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2012 were agreed as a correct record.

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services (copy attached).

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services Committee was received.

There were no non-public questions.

There were no non-public urgent items.