Decision details

The Chairman introduced the West Hendon estate regeneration and non-secure tenants on regeneration estates report.

Following consideration of the item, Councillor Houston moved the following motion, seconded by Councillor Edwards:

To add to Recommendation 7 the following:

That the Committee agrees to use the Council’s discretion under the current Housing Allocations Scheme (paragraph 3.18) to recognise the exceptional circumstances faced by the Marsh Drive non-secure tenants and resolve their exceptional housing need – that they are living in unsafe accommodation that is not fit for human habitation and need to be moved urgently.

(i). The Committee therefore, resolves to grant all Marsh Drive non-secure tenants priority status in Band 1 or Band 2.

(ii) That the Committee recognises that the shortage of available permanent Council housing may mean that non-secure tenants need to move twice before being re-housed in a secure tenancy council property.

The votes on the motion were recorded as follows:

Therefore, the motion was lost.

Following further discussion, the Committee agreed that Councillor Conway’s members item had now been addressed. The Chairman moved to vote on the recommendations as set out in the report and addendum.

The votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:

1. Notes progress with the regeneration of West Hendon (paragraphs 1.1 – 1.3).

2. Notes the measures that Barnet Homes have put in place to improve living conditions for residents of Marsh Drive (paragraphs 2.9) and that they continue to meet with residents to identify further improvements (paragraph 2.11).

3. Notes the results of the Large Panel System tests received on 20 December 2019, and that work is well underway to empty the blocks by 31 October 2020 (paragraphs 3).

4. Approves the early decant of Marsh Drive and the additional expenditure required to facilitate this (paragraph 4.3 & appendix).

5. Considers the arguments for and against amending the current housing allocations policy in respect of long-standing non-secure tenants on regeneration estates, including West Hendon (paragraphs 5).

6. Recommends that the existing Housing Allocations Policy remains unchanged.