Agenda and minutes

The Chairman advised Members that the minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2013 would be approved at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee on 7 October 2013.

Apologies for absence had been received from:

·         Councillor Jack Cohen who was absent on Council business;

·         Councillor Rowan Quigley Turner;

·         Councillor Kath McGuirk who was substituted for by Councillor Geoffrey Johnson; and

·        Councillor Andrew Strongolou

None.

None.

None.

The Committee received public comments from Mr Julian Silverman in relation to the item.

The Committee welcomed Councillor Tom Davey, Cabinet Member for Housing, Paul Shipway, Head of Strategy and Performance, Kate Laffan, Head of Housing Options at Barnet Homes and Ian Helcke, Service Manager, Housing Needs at Barnet Homes who were in attendance to answer questions on the revised Housing Allocations Scheme and Placements Policy which had been updated following a public consultation process.

In introducing the item, Councillor Davey outlined that the Council were seeking to make the best use of limited housing stock and that the policy was seeking to minimise the issue of voids.  The Committee were advised that the public consultation had shown that the public were broadly supportive of the policy, but that there were some concerns regarding what constituted a reasonable offer of accommodation.  

A Member highlighted that of the 800 Barnet Homes tenants that had been sent the consultation documents, only 100 had responded.  It was noted that more people had disagreed (47.8%) with the amendment of the scheme to one offer of accommodation only than had agreed (41.1%). 

Councillor Davey advised the Committee that he supported the principle that people should live where they could afford to and that market forces should apply to social housing. 

The Committee proposed that the Appendix 3 (Draft Placements Policy) be amended to make more explicit reference to religious needs, particularly Section 8 (How the Council will ensure it makes suitable offers of accommodation to discharge the full homeless duty), Test 3 (Suitability and property location and subjective circumstance of the applicant) under the heading ‘Suitability and the consideration of any other subjective matters’ to make specific reference to religious / cultural needs and places of worship.

A Member commented that he considered the current banding system should be abandoned and replaced with a choice based system.  Officers advised the Committee that the Council were currently operating a system of assisted choice which had become unsustainable due to the lack of supply (currently 30% lower than April 2012). 

The Committee noted that the Mayor of London’s recent decision to set the new affordable rent amount at 80% of market rates would have a significant impact on low paid workers, including council employees.  Councillor Alison Moore MOVED a recommendation that the Chairman be requested to submit an objection to the Mayor of London on his recent decision to set the new affordable rent amount at 80% of market rates.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was LOST. 

A Member made the following recommendations for minor amendments to the Cabinet report, Housing Allocations Scheme and Placements Policy:

·         Appendix 2 (The Housing Allocations Scheme, September 2013) – under the ‘Procedure for Appeals and Reviews’ amend to refer to two working days instead of 48 hours.

·        Appendix 3 (Draft Placements Policy) –Section 8 (How the Council will ensure it makes suitable offers of accommodation to discharge the full homeless duty), Test 3 (Suitability and property location  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the Forward Work Programme.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the Forward Work Programme.

None.