SOCIAL WORK AND HOUSING COMMITTEE

 

TUESDAY, 25 AUGUST 1998 - 3.00 pm

 

Present:-  Councillors Morrison (D), Clocherty, O'Rourke, Jackson, Nimmo, Mulholland, Rebecchi, Mitchell and Welch, Councillor O'Rourke, Convener, in the Chair.

 

Present also:-  Councillors Calvert, Robertson (A), Roach and Campbell.

 

In attendance:-  The Assistant Chief Executive (Social and Community Development), the Director of Central Services, the Director of Housing and Customer Services with Mr D Robin Head of Housing Services, Mr H McNeilly (for the Director of Legal Services) and Mr N Buchan (for the Director of Social Work).

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Provost Allan and Councillor McGhee.

 

The following paragraph is submitted for confirmation or otherwise.

 

   878      HOUSING ALLOCATION POLICY REVIEW                                                                                     878

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 7 August 1998 by the Director of Housing and Customer Services on the recommendations of the Working Party of Members and Officers established by the Housing Committee on 3 September 1996 (para 795) to review the current Housing Allocation Policy

and appending a revised Housing Allocation Policy document which incorporates the amendments proposed.

The Committee heard a presentation by the Head of Housing Services which provided further information on the main proposals including the new points scheme.  Members asked a number of questions which were answered by Mr Robin.

During discussion on the Housing Allocation Policy, reference was made to the introduction of probationary tenancies which are the subject of current Government legislation.

Councillor O'Rourke moved:-

(a)  That the proposed new Housing Allocation Policy set out in the appendix to the report be approved and, with the exception of the sections or parts of sections detailed below, the Policy be implemented from 1 October 1998 to allow sufficient time for staff training and publicity:-

           Section 4 in its entirety

           Section 5 with the exception of 5.3 as it affects single applicants

           Section 16 in its entirety

           Section 17 in its entirety;

(b)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to submit a further report to the Committee on the scheme of points detailed in Section 4, the report to include information on the proposed timescale for implementation of the scheme following a review of the resources available to the Departments of Housing and Customer Services and Information Technology;

(c)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to report at the same time on any further revisions proposed to the Policy as it relates to the allocation of accommodation within multi-storey properties and also to the complementary street index;

(d)  That implementation of Section 5.3 of the new Policy  relating to single applicants be implemented from 1 January 1999 to enable the Department of Housing and Customer Services to contact all affected applicants;

(e)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to produce an interim summary leaflet and other appropriate publicity to explain the amendments to the Housing Allocation Policy which have been agreed to date and to invite comments from the public on the policy changes; and

(f)  That the Council adopt the use of probationary tenancies as soon as the necessary legislative authority has been granted and it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to take all necessary action in this connection.

As an amendment, Councillor Mitchell moved that the proposed new Housing Allocation Policy appended to the report be approved with the exception of Section 4.1(a)(ii) and that instead, applicants receive waiting points from the date of entry to their current Council tenancy for the first 10 years and thereafter from the date of the applicant's first Council tenancy.

On a vote, 2 Members voted for the amendment and 6 for the motion which was declared carried.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the proposed new Housing Allocation Policy set out in the appendix to the report be approved and, with the exception of the sections or parts of sections detailed below, the Policy be implemented from 1 October 1998 to allow sufficient time for staff training and publicity:-

           Section 4 in its entirety

           Section 5 with the exception of 5.3 as it affects single applicants

           Section 16 in its entirety

           Section 17 in its entirety;

(b)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to submit a further report to the Committee on the scheme of points detailed in Section 4, the report to include information on the proposed timescale for implementation of the scheme following a review of the resources available to the Departments of Housing and Customer Services and Information Technology;

(c)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to report at the same time on any further revisions proposed to the Policy as it relates to the allocation of accommodation within multi-storey properties and also to the complementary street index;

(d)  That implementation of Section 5.3 of the new Policy  relating to single applicants be implemented from 1 January 1999 to enable the Department of Housing and Customer Services to contact all affected applicants;

(e)  That it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to produce an interim summary leaflet and other appropriate publicity to explain the amendments to the Housing Allocation Policy which have been agreed to date and to invite comments from the public on the policy changes; and

(f)  That the Council adopt the use of probationary tenancies as soon as the necessary legislative authority has been granted and it be remitted to the Director of Housing and Customer Services to take all necessary action in this connection.