Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report which detailed the progress made during the first year of operation of the “Home Choice Plus” Choice Based Lettings Scheme for the allocation of social housing across the District. 

The report also suggested that Members consider the possibility of introducing a charging mechanism for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) who wish to advertise their properties through the Scheme. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the success of the Home Choice Plus Scheme in raising awareness of the Housing Register and the 14% increase in the number of applicants registered since the implementation of the Scheme be noted;

(b)       that the introduction of a charging mechanism for RSLs  who make use of the Scheme be approved in principle; and

(c)        that authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Environment in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, the Section 151 Officer and the Head of Strategic Housing to determine the level of charges for all RSLs, subject to separate arrangements being agreed in respect of Bromsgrove District Housing Trust, in view of its role as a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer organisation and its partial funding of the Choice Based Lettings Scheme.