Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing and Health and Well Being presented a report detailing the background to the proposed introduction of licensing fees under the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

Cabinet was informed that the licensing of mobile homes was a statutory duty and covered areas such as the issuing of new licences, transfers of licences and site compliance.  The proposed fees took into account the costs incurred by the Council in relation to the licensing regime.  Members were informed that prior to the introduction of charges the only recourse available to the local authority was to take court action for non-compliance and there were financial implications to this for the Council.  Under the new regime, cases could be referred to tribunal where costs of £5,000 could be applied.

The content of the report was subsequently discussed by Members in some detail.  Questions were raised about the reasons why the proposed fees had been suggested at the level detailed in the report.  Officers explained that the fees were based on the costs of the time usually spent working on licensing mobile homes. 

Reference was also made to the frequency with which inspections would take place at mobile home sites to ensure compliance with licensing conditions.  Cabinet was informed that all mobile home sites would be subject to at least an annual inspection.  In reality, the Council tended to be contacted during the year regarding licensing matters so often inspections occurred more frequently than once a year as a result of such queries.

Consideration was given to the fees that would apply to mobile home sites.  Concerns were raised that smaller sites, consisting of two or three mobile homes, might struggle to pay the fee, particularly if residents were also required to pay Council Tax.  By contrast, larger mobile home sites would potentially be paying a more manageable fee, particularly if the cost could be shared between residents.  Officers clarified that larger mobile home sites tended to be operated by management groups that were familiar with their roles and responsibilities.  For this reason, there was often less action required from the Council at larger sites than at smaller sites, which did not tend to be operated by these types of companies.  Furthermore, Members were informed that only residents for whom the mobile home was their primary residence would be required to pay Council Tax for their property.

During consideration of this item Officers commented that in the report it was being proposed that the fees should be introduced from September 2021 onwards.  However, these fees could not be applied retrospectively.  Instead, they could only apply, subject to approval by Council, from 4^th November 2021 onwards.

RECOMMENDED that

1)        The Mobile Home Fee Structure is approved and implemented from 4^th November 2021 to all relevant sites throughout Bromsgrove District reviewed on an annual basis; and

2)        The recovery of expenses through enforcement action is approved and implemented to all relevant sites throughout the District.