Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

13.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 57 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 12 June 2018, as a correct record.

Minutes:

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 12 June 2018 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

 

14.

Declarations of Interest

Any interests not already registered

Minutes:

No additional declarations of interest were made.

15.

Actions from Previous Meetings pdf icon PDF 25 KB

Minutes:

The action was to be chased and rolled over to the next meeting.

16.

Update from Portfolio Holder pdf icon PDF 39 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members’ noted the Portfolio Holder’s update.

 

17.

Referrals from Cabinet or the Audit Committee

Minutes:

There were none.

18.

Challenges of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Housing & Health Manager presented the report and gave a presentation on the new Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) 2017 which amended Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 with 13 main changes that amended existing duties, provided a number of new duties and affected the homelessness prevention work of the Council’s Housing Advice Service within the Communities and Business Team.  In October 2018 public authorities (as specified in the Homelessness (Review Procedure etc.) Regulations 2018 had a duty to refer a person who was homeless or threatened with homelessness, with their consent, to a relevant local housing authority.

Action1: Housing & Health Manager to check whether the Armed Forces are a specified public authority with a duty to refer.

In response to questions the Housing & Health Manager advised that referrals to the HERO Officers had increased since April but it was unknown whether this was due to the Act.  A new Housing Officer and an additional fourth HERO Officer had just been recruited.  There was funding available for the new duty until 2020, but after that there was talk about performance led funding, but nothing further was known at the moment.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved: That the report and information be noted.   

19.

Extension of Mandatory Licensing of Houses In Multiple Occupation (HMOs) pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

The Housing Standards Team Leader presented the report which advised regulations extending the mandatory licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to cover all properties with 5 or more occupiers living in 2 or more households and sharing amenities, regardless of the number of storeys, had now been published and would come into force on 1 October 2018.  The report sought agreement to the proposals for the implementation of the extension of HMO licensing, noting the degree of uncertainty on the numbers requiring licensing and impact upon resources and the level of fees associated with the processing of applications.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved:  That it be recommended to Cabinet to approve

 

a)     the approach outlined within the report to deliver the extension of mandatory licensing; and

 

b)     the setting of the associated application fees as detailed below

 

i)      an HMO with no more than 5 units of accommodation be set at £654.00 with any additional habitable rooms including bedrooms being charged at £23.00;

 

ii)     renewal applications be charged at £412.00;

 

iii)   costs associated with a change of HMO licence holder, if within 12 months of previous licence being proposed be £306, (after a year the usual licence fee is applicable); and

 

iv)    for landlords who have become members of the various accrediting schemes run county and nationwide, a 10% discount be applied.

20.

Local Essential Workers Definition pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Minutes:

The Housing Policy Manager presented the report which provided comment on the Local Essential Worker Definition so that it could be refined for inclusion within the Local Plan and Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) in readiness for consultation planned for the end of the year.  He also updated Members on progress made with investigations made on a possible scheme of providing loans from s.106 contributions for shared ownership homes which would free up housing and help residents take their first step on the property ladder.

 

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

 

Resolved:  That the report and information be noted.

21.

Work Plan pdf icon PDF 37 KB

Minutes:

The work plan was noted.  The following reports were moved to the meeting in February 2018: Housing Strategy progress report no.2; Integrated care and local care hubs; and a social prescribing update.

 

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