Agenda item

*RESOLVED –

That it be recommended to full Council:

1.   That the feedback from the consultation be noted.

2.   That the new Home Options Policy be adopted and its implementation be approved, incorporating local differences for Chesterfield.

3.   That the Local Lettings Plan, approved in June 2017, be rescinded.

4.   That the Assistant Director for Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Homes and Customers be granted delegated authority to make minor operational amendments to the Home Options Policy.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To enable the council, through the Housing Options Team, to be in the best possible position to allocate council housing stock to applicants most in need, and to provide a customer focussed and user friendly service.

The Assistant Director – Housing presented a report to inform members of the feedback from the consultation with current applicants and stakeholders regarding the proposed changes to the Council’s Allocations Policy. The consultation pack was attached at Appendix A to the officer’s report.

The revised Home Options Policy was attached at Appendix B to the officer’s report and had been approved for consultation by Cabinet on 17 July, 2018.

Overall, 67% of respondents thought that the changes would have a positive impact, 22.3% had a neutral opinion and 9.5% indicated that they felt the impact of the changes could be negative. The introduction of the new policy would enable the housing options team to improve how council properties are allocated and create more sustainable tenancies by properly assessing individual circumstances and providing appropriate information and advice.

The Assistant Director proposed to implement the new policy in March 2019 to coincide with the introduction of the new Locata IT system for administering the choice based lettings process.

RESOLVED –

That it be recommended to full Council:

1.   That the feedback from the consultation be noted.

2.   That the new Home Options Policy be adopted and its implementation be approved, incorporating local differences for Chesterfield.

3.   That the Local Lettings Plan, approved in June 2017, be rescinded.

4.   That the Assistant Director for Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Homes and Customers be granted delegated authority to make minor operational amendments to the Home Options Policy.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To enable the council, through the Housing Options Team, to be in the best possible position to allocate council housing stock to applicants most in need, and to provide a customer focussed and user friendly service.