Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – Housing and Revenues

The Assistant Director Housing and Revenue submitted a report (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the draft Housing Services Allocations Policy (also previously circulated) prior to its consideration by Cabinet on 7 March 2023.

The submitted report stated that the Council had been part of a sub-regional scheme for allocating social housing since 2009; a Tees Valley Common Housing Allocations Policy was adopted by the five Local Authorities, which had been in place since 2012 and was last updated in 2019.

Members were informed that the existing policy no longer met the strategic needs for Darlington and notice had been given on Darlington Borough Council’s membership of the Tees Valley Lettings Partnership, due to expire in June 2023; and a new Housing Services Allocations Policy was required.

Details were provided of the key changes to the policy, this included a number of changes to the priority banding; and the Tenants Panel had been consulted in January 2023 and overall were in support of the proposed Housing Allocations Policy.

Following a question, Members were informed that veterans were included in the policy and would be considered under the priority band 1.

RESOLVED – That Members support the onward submission of the draft Housing Services Allocations Policy to Cabinet.