Purpose

To increase the monitoring fee for first homes
sales.

Decision

 

ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

 

RECORD OF OFFICER EXECUTIVE DECISION
 

Date of Decision:

19th August 2025
 

Title:

First Homes Fee Charging Schedule
 

Decision Maker:
(Including Job Title)

Andrew Bramidge
Strategic Director of Regeneration and
Environment
 

Details of Specific Delegation
 
or
 
Delegation contained in the relevant
Sub-Scheme of Delegation.
 

Cabinet approval, meeting held on 25th April 2022 (para
138, Resolution 4):
 
That Cabinet approves delegation to the
Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment, in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs & the Local
Economy, to amend the First Homes eligibility criteria and fee
charging systems as required by monitoring and review.

Decision:

To increase the First Homes fee, which is
charged to
Housing Developers from £1,077 per unit
to £1,329 per
unit.
 
The Local Eligibility Criteria for First Homes
will remain in place as outlined in the Interim Policy
Statement.
 

Reasons for the Decision:

The increase in the First Homes Fee is to
cover increased staff costs for dealing for the administration of
the scheme.  The First Homes fee pays
for mandatory Council administration support in dealing with the
initial sale of a First Home and 2 x subsequent
resales.  After this the Council’s
administration costs are borne by the Vendor/Purchaser.

The Local Eligibility Criteria was adopted by
the Council to give priority to applicants with a connection to
Rotherham to purchase a First Home. The criteria applies for the
initial 3 months that a First Home is marketed by the developer and
every resale thereafter.  It is
conditioned by way of a restriction on the title deeds of the
property.  Evidence from the sales data
for First Homes shows that of the 45 units that have been sold/
reserved, 35 of them (77%) have been sold in the initial 3-month
period to people who meet one or more conditions of the Local
Eligibility Criteria.

Details of alternative options considered and
rejected:

Do nothing.
This option will leave the First Homes Fee
Charging Schedule unchanged and retain the Local Eligibility
Criteria.
This option will mean that the Council’s
administrative costs are not fully re-covered from
developers.  However, applicants with a
strong connection to Rotherham will continue to have priority to
purchase First Homes when they become available.
 

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet
Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the
decision:

None.

Dispensations Granted:
(If any)

None.
 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision
Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an
outside body which relates to the decision:

None.

Dispensations Granted:
(If any)

None.
 

Reports or parts of reports relevant to the
decision being taken:
 

Interim (Planning) Policy Statement –
First Homes.

 
I certify that this
is a true record of the executive decision to:
 
Increase the First Home
Charging Fee Schedule to £1,329 per unit.
To retain the First Homes
Eligibility Criteria as set out in the Interim Policy
Statement.
 
I confirm that in
making this decision, due regard was given to the seven principles
of public life.
 
 
Signed by the
Decision Maker:
 

 
Dated:         
19th August 2025
 
Name:         
Andrew Bramidge                        
Job Title:     Strategic Director of
Regeneration & Environment