Issue - meetings

Arising from a report of the Head of Housing and Property, the Decent and Affordable Homes  Policy Development Group had recommended that the revised Tenancy Policy be approved.

Arising from a report of the Head of Housing and Property Services, the Decent and Affordable Homes Policy Development Group had recommended that the revised Tenancy Policy be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Housing stated that the revised policy indicated how houses were allocated to tenants: introductory tenancies followed by flexible tenancies, how problems with tenants were dealt with, the needs of tenants and the review of people’s circumstances.  The review of the policy reflected changes in good practice and allowed any legislative changes to be updated accordingly.

RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Decent and Affordable Homes Policy Development Group be approved.

(Proposed by  Cllr R L Stanley and seconded by Cllr N V Davey)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive a report from the Housing Services Manager reviewing the Housing Services Tenancy Policy.

The Group had before it a report * from the Housing Services Manager reviewing the Housing Services Tenancy Policy. As a Registered Provider of social housing, the Council was required to publish clear and accessible policies which outline its approach to tenancy management, including interventions to sustain tenancies and prevent unnecessary evictions and tackling tenancy fraud.

Discussion took place with regard to:

·         Flexible Tenancies - officers were expected to refer to the Tenancy Policy when making offers of accommodation and as such the policy was a working document. Flexible Tenancies were explained as being issued either on a 2 year or 5 year fixed term basis. They were ‘flexible’ in that at the end of the term officers looked at the circumstances of the tenancy and decided whether or not the tenancy needed to be reviewed. Often people’s circumstances changed, this could be in relation to income or family members moving out of the property or indeed whether an adapted property was still required. ‘Tenancies for life’ are still issued in cases where the tenants are deemed to be vulnerable in any way; however, the Housing Service had to make best use of its housing stock.

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that the revised Housing Services Tenancy Policy be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr Mrs H Bainbridge and seconded by Cllr J D Squire)

Note:   (i) * Report previously circulated; copy attached to the signed Minutes.

(ii) Cllr Mrs E M Andrews requested that her abstention from voting be recorded.