Decision details

(Minute 5)

The report of the Assistant Director Housing and Contracts was submitted updating members on the flexibilities created by changes to Homelessness legislation made as part of the Localism Act.

The Assistant Director Housing and Contracts reported that the Localism Act permitted local authorities to meet their homelessness duty by providing good quality private rented homes. Whilst this was a beneficial opportunity, its success depended on the supply of suitable properties and it was unlikely that the offer of private rented accommodation could be made to all homeless applicants due to an insufficient supply of suitable properties. It was proposed to make the majority of offers through the EXtraLet scheme.

The report was submitted to the Scrutiny Committee – Community on 15 January 2013 and the support and comments of members were noted including their concern that the offer of short term tenures of private sector properties to homeless persons, should be made only to appropriate and willing recipients.

Executive noted the proposed standard stating that children up to 10 years of age could share a bedroom, regardless of gender, and queried whether this applied to extended families and whether the age limit was too high.  The Assistant Director Housing and Contracts agreed to feed back this comment and review the appropriateness of the existing standard for Council stock.

Executive resolved that:-

(1)     the use of the new flexibilities in relation to the Council’s homelessness duty be approved as proposed in the report, subject to further consideration of the standard relating to the upper age limit at which children of opposite gender could share a bedroom;

(2)     the views set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report be supported; and

(3)     officers be requested to monitor the use of the flexibilities and report back to Scrutiny Committee – Community in 12 months time.