Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Regeneration and Housing

Summary

To provide Executive with a Tenancy Strategy for approval.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To adopt the Tenancy Strategy (attached at Appendix A).

(2)               To agree a six month review period for the Strategy Tenancy Policy (if recommendation (1) is approved).

Recommendations approved, subject to the amendment of recommendation (2) to refer to Tenancy Strategy.

The Head of Regeneration and Housing submitted a report which provided Executive with a Tenancy Strategy for approval.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Housing explained that the Tenancy Strategy would provide guidance for Registered Providers (RPs) operating in the Cherwell District Council area. It sets out the Council’s position on the provision of affordable housing including the use of Flexible Tenancies, Affordable Rents and the use of private sector tenancies for homeless households. This policy supports the Government’s aim to make best use of housing stock, focussing support on the most vulnerable people in society and ensure the Council complies with the Localism Act 2011 duty for Local Authorities to produce a Tenancy Strategy by November 2012.

In response to questions from Councillor Cartledge, Leader of the Labour Group, the Strategic Housing Officer provided clarification on a number of points. Members were advised that the Tenancy Strategy recommended an absolute minimum term of two years in exceptional cases, with a tenancy term of at least five years being the norm. The Housing Team has a good partnership with Registered Providers and is confident that any increased risk of homelessness would be well managed and monitored through these relationships. Should tenancies not be renewed, it was anticipated that the reason would be that the individual’s circumstances had changed for the good. In terms of consultation, the Strategic Housing Officer reported that consultation responses had not been received from all parties who had been contacted as part of the process, however, positive responses had been received from Registered Providers and members of the public.

Members agreed that it was important that a review period was built into the Tenancy Strategy to allow for further Government policy changes to be taken account of and the effectiveness of the Strategy to be reviewed.   

Resolved

(1)               That the Tenancy Strategy be adopted.

(2)               That a six month review period for the Tenancy Strategy be agreed.

Reasons

An early policy statement in the form of the Tenancy Strategy is required to give guidance to Registered Provider partners and customers/other partners and to allow the Council to move forward with strategic planning for the delivery of Affordable Housing in an environment where the Council’s position is understood.

The Policy environment is fast changing and the effect of the introduction of Affordable Rent and Flexible Tenancies must be monitored to judge their effects. A review of this policy after six months is recommended.

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