To consider a report on the review of Torbay’s Allocation Policy.

Members considered the submitted report on a review of Torbay’s Allocations Policy which would enable better management of the waiting list and expectations for access to Social Housing in Torbay which is in very limited supply. 

The Chairman advised that the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Board had been circulated on 24 February 2014.  During his proposal speech Councillor Thomas (D) responded to the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Board.  He advised that there was no merit in including their recommendations within the Allocations Policy as it was more in line with the Housing Strategy which was due to be refreshed from 1 April 2014.

It was proposed by Councillor Thomas (D) and seconded by Councillor Bent:

That the Devon Home Choice Policy be amended in Torbay from 1 April 2014 as follows:

1.     Band E applicants will be removed from the register and only those applicants in Bands A-D will be eligible for social housing in Torbay.

2.     Applicants who have not bid for 12 months, or turned down three reasonable offers will be removed from the register.  This will be applied as of 1 April 2014.

3.     A 5 year residency test will be applied as part of the qualification criteria, requiring the applicant (or member of the applicant’s household) to have lived within Torbay for 5 years.

In addition other qualification criteria will apply to ensure that applicants who are not currently resident in the district/area but who can demonstrate a strong association to the local area will be able to qualify (e.g. through family association or employment).

This is defined as:

Need to work in Devon.  The Local Government Association guidelines define this as employment other than of a casual nature.  For the purposes of this policy this will be defined as having had permanent work with a minimum of a 16 hour contract per week for the previous 6 months, and without a break in the period of employment for more than three months.

Have family connections in Devon.  The Local Government Association guidelines define this as immediate family members (parents, siblings and nondependent children) who have themselves lived in the area for five years.

To ensure we maintain the protection provided by the statutory reasonable preference criteria and the statutory guidance.  Exceptions to the 5 year residency test will be:

·       Existing Social housing tenants, in Devon.  (to promote downsizing);

·       Members of the Armed Forces and former Service personnel, where the application is made within five years of discharge;

·       Bereaved spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner;

·       Serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of a serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service;

·       People who are assessed as being within the reasonable preference categories – Bands A , B , Emergency and High Housing Need, as per the DHC Policy. ( This includes those fleeing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 131

To consider the draft report to Council on the review of the Allocations Policy and to make any comments and/or recommendations.

The Board considered a report which set out details of a review of the Council’s Allocations Policy which had been undertaken in light of the Localism Act 2011 which enabled local authorities to restrict access to their register for social housing.  The review aimed to ensure that the Council was providing the best opportunities for local residents and making the most appropriate use of the social housing stock in Torbay.

It was proposed that:

·        Band E applicants (those with no housing need) would removed from the register.

·        Applicants who had not bid for 12 months or who had turned down three reasonable offers would be removed from the register.

·        A five year residency test (with certain exceptions) would be applied.

·        The Council would prioritise working households in areas of high unemployed households.

·        An Annual Lettings Plan would be introduced.

The Executive Lead for Spatial Planning, Housing and Energy together with the Director of Children’s Services attended the meeting.  Members of the Board questioned when the new Housing Strategy for Torbay would be prepared with the Board being informed that this work should start from 1 April 2014.

In considering the proposals, it was noted that, as of October 2013, there were 3101 households on the Torbay Housing Register, of which 1519 were on Band E.  A further 554 households across Bands A to D had either never bid or not bid within the year.  Therefore, the consequence of applying the proposed criteria would be that 2073 households would be removed with approximately one third of the original total remaining on the Register.

Questions were then raised about whether the Council had the appropriate information about the sizes of homes which were available and being built in Torbay compared with the size of home which was required to meet the needs of households on the Register.  It was reported that the proposed Annual Lettings Plan would provide some of this information together with the new Housing Strategy.

Resolved:  that Council be recommended to amend the proposed Housing Allocations Policy to include information about the size and type of housing which is required to meet the needs of the households within Torbay.