Purpose

Cabinet is recommended to:
 
a)    
Note the significant progress in tackling poor
property conditions and anti-social behaviour in the private rented
sector through its large-scale property licensing
schemes.
 
b)     
Agree for work to be undertaken to evaluate the
impact of the existing licensing schemes and to identify the
potential benefits of a further designation.
 
c)     
Delegate to the Director of Neighbourhoods and
environment, in consultation with the Director of Governance and
Law, authority to identify the proposed nature and scope of any
further designation, informed by the work described in b), and to
consult as necessary with landlords, tenants and other stakeholders
regarding future scheme options.
 
d)    
Note that Cabinet will receive a further report with
the finalised outcomes of the consultation and recommendations in
relation to designation of discretionary property licensing schemes
beyond the expiry of the existing schemes. For any further
large-scale Selective Licensing scheme, the further report would be
scheduled to enable time for any application for approval by the
Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up Housing and
Communities (DLUHC) to be confirmed and published before it expires
on 30 April 2025.
 

Content

Cabinet:

(1)            
noted the significant progress in tackling poor
property conditions and anti-social behaviour in the private rented
sector that has been achieved through the Council’s
large-scale property licensing schemes;

(2)            
agreed for further work to be undertaken to identify
whether the relevant legal criteria are met to support a
consultation upon a further selective licensing designation and/or
additional licensing designation being implemented following the
expiry of the current schemes;

(3)            
delegated to the Strategic Director of
Neighbourhoods and Environment, in consultation with the Director
of Governance and Law and Strategic Director of Resources,
authority to identify the proposed nature and scope of any further
designation, informed by the work described in (1) above, and
authority to undertake consultation as necessary with landlords,
tenants and other stakeholders regarding future scheme
options;

(4)            
noted that Cabinet will receive a further report
with the finalised outcomes of any consultation together with
recommendations in relation to designation of discretionary
property licensing schemes beyond the expiry of the existing
schemes; and

(5)            
noted that any decision to designate a further
large-scale Selective Licensing scheme must be taken at a point
which enables time for an application to be considered and
determined by the Secretary of State for the Department for
Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC), and if confirmed, published before
the current scheme expires on 30 April 2025.
 

OPTIONS & ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
Cabinet could
decide that no further work or steps should be taken towards
identification of whether any new discretionary schemes should be
progressed.   This is not
recommended because Council’s large-scale property licensing
schemes have proved successful and where the evidence supports the
designation of a scheme this provides an important regulatory
framework as set out in this report.