Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for People and Communities.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the adoption of the new Housing Residents’ Vulnerability Policy.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on the revised Housing Residents’ Vulnerabilities Policy 2024-2027 for adoption by Council. The Council, as a responsible landlord, was required to have a policy ensuring that social landlords ‘treated tenants with fairness and respect’ and that reasonable adjustments were made to services to ensure vulnerabilities were taken into account. The policy would ensure that the Council was compliant with the requirement of the Regulator of Social Housing

Cllrs Jobson, Mitchell and Moore spoke as opposition group leaders on the item and raised points and questions, which were responded to by the Head of Service – Housing as follows:-

·         in instances of conflicts between policies, each case would taken on its own merit and a desktop review would take place; and

·         people had a right not to share information but, by understanding what people’s vulnerabilities were, Exeter City Council was able to tailor its services to meet their  needs and make reasonable adjustments.

Councillor Jobson also suggested that the Domestic Abuse Act be added to the references, as it was referred to in the report.

The Leader moved the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Wright, voted upon, and CARRIED unanimously.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the adoption of the new Housing Residents’ Vulnerability Policy.