Decision

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST RELATING TO THIS ITEM:

None

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1. Approved the Under?Occupation Policy: Moving to a Smaller Home (Appendix?A).
   
   
2. Approved the amendments to the Tenancy Strategy (Appendix?B).
   
   
3. Delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Adults, Housing and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, to make updates to the payment structure and offers to residents within existing budgets.
   
   
4. Delegated authority to make minor changes and updates to the policy wording, including those required by changes in legislation or by updates to the Standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.
   
   
5. Noted that the commitments set out in the policy would be met within existing budgets.
   
   
6. Noted that the budgets for supporting people moving to a smaller home would be updated through existing budgetary processes, and that officers would seek delegation to the Corporate Director of Adults, Housing and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, to set the payment structure within those budgets.

Reasons for decision

Approval of the Under?Occupation Policy: Moving to a Smaller Home was required to set out clearly the Council’s commitments and to strengthen the offer made to residents, helping increase the supply of family?sized homes.

Delegations relating to changes to the financial payment structure and future updates were required so that payments—unchanged for many years—could be reviewed and updated annually.

Alternative options considered:

Not approving the Under?Occupation Policy: Moving to a Smaller Home
This option was dismissed because:

• it was important to clearly set out the Council’s offer for residents wishing to downsize and to keep that offer up to date; and
• the expected increase in larger family homes resulting from implementation of the policy was essential to support the Council in housing larger families.