Decision details

This annual report reviews the demand for and supply of social rented housing and low-cost home ownership in 2015/16 and considers supply and demand projections for 2016/17. The report also makes proposals for the allocation of the supply of social housing in 2016/17 to meet the Council’s statutory obligations.

1.         That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development noted the projected supply and proposed allocation of rented housing, as discussed in paragraph 3.1 and set out in Appendices A, B and B1 of the report.

2.         Tenancy Policy and Tenancy Strategy

(i)            Tenancy Policy

(a)  That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that Non Renewable Flexible Tenancies be renamed Flexible Tenancies for Non Priority Households, and that they may be offered in the following circumstances:

·         Where they can help a broader range of low income working households who have few housing opportunities in Westminster to access social housing (the Low Income Workers Tenancies referred to in recommendation 2.3 are being offered in line with this principle)

·         Where they are attached to an employment or training support project

·         Where they are intended to provide some transitional housing following a bereavement for discretionary successors, under the discretionary succession policy for flexible tenants

Flexible Tenancies for Non Priority Households may also be used in other circumstances subject to agreement by the Cabinet Member responsible for Housing.

(b)  That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development  agreed that the Tenancy Policy be amended to set out the general circumstances when a further tenancy may be offered to these households and the length of term to be offered following a review and noted that these circumstances will reflect the policy aim, that in the main they are offered to assist a household for a specific period of time, so that the maximum number of households can benefit from them and that they are not intended to be a long term housing solution. A further flexible tenancy will normally therefore only be offered where the household’s circumstances have changed and is assessed as now having priority for housing under the Councils Housing Allocation Scheme and a private rented tenancy is considered unsuitable for them, as the Council determines they are unable to manage one, or they need a wheelchair adapted property, or they are eligible for Community Supportive Housing (sheltered) and none of the criteria set out in 4.14 of the Tenancy Policy applies.  

A further flexible Tenancy offered under the above circumstances will generally be for 5 years but there may be exceptional circumstances (as set out in section 3.7 of the Tenancy Policy) which justify granting a flexible tenancy of less than five years.

Tenants that have been issued with these types of tenancies for non-priority households will not be eligible for Cash to Move payments

(c)  That the  that Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development delegated authority to the Director of Housing and Regeneration to agree any changes to the Tenancy Policy related to Flexible Tenancies for Non Priority Households in line with the above circumstances.

(ii)Tenancy Strategy

            That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the Tenancy Strategy be amended to reflect the requirement of law that all flexible tenancies be subject to a tenancy review, so Non Renewable Flexible Tenancies are now called Flexible Tenancies for Non Priority Households and that they should be subject to a review  that the Tenancy Strategy and highlight that registered providers should consider any exceptional circumstances of the household when deciding if these types of tenancies are renewed.

3.         Affordable Housing for Low Income Working Households

(i)            That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that a target quota of 10 lettings be established for working households with total gross income of £20k or less who would not otherwise have priority for social housing under the Housing Allocations Scheme and noted that: allocations would be to studio and 1 bed properties, reflecting the relative high level of supply of these size units; and tenancies will generally be for a period of three years (an introductory tenancy followed by a two year Flexible Tenancies for Non Priority Households which will then be reviewed).

(ii)          That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the Housing Allocation Scheme be amended to include the quota and the criteria relating to who is eligible for these tenancies and how properties will be allocated (as set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report).

4.         Discretionary Succession

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the Tenancy Policy be amended so that households eligible for a discretionary succession, who have been living in Community Supportive Housing for older people, are required to move to alternative housing, if they are not eligible for the Community Supportive Housing in their own right.   

5.         Mutual Exchange

That the  Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that Tenancy Policy be amended so that mutual exchanges are not agreed where the proposed assignee moving into the Westminster Council property would be under occupying the property as defined by the City Council’s Housing Allocation Policy.

6.         Workers Points

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the additional points for working households scheme be amended to allow officers to seek formal confirmation that the household is in employment at any point and to remove the additional points if the criteria are not met.

7.         Intermediate Housing

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the allocation of future intermediate housing opportunities should be according to household size to avoid under occupancy of intermediate homes and increased priority given to children of existing Council tenants that are overcrowded in their current home and noted that as a result, increased priority will no longer be given to applicants of the former family quota scheme and in addition, existing Westminster Intermediate Tenants will only be given priority when moving to a different type of intermediate housing such as low cow cost home ownership or one that includes as savings element.  

8.         Leaseholders in Housing Renewal Areas

That the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business and Economic Development agreed that the changes as set out in paragraph 5.6 to the Policy for Leaseholders in Housing Renewal Areas (2014) are approved to clarify the Council’s offer and to update financial entitlements in line with the statutory framework.

Reasons for Decision 

The proposals contained in this report set out the issues related to the development of allocation projections for social housing for 2016/17 to meet the Council’s statutory obligations, meet the varying demands for social housing and to reduce the numbers of people living in Temporary Accommodation who are waiting for social housing.