Council consults about housing allocations East Staffordshire Borough Council is proposing changes to the policy which determines who gets social housing in the borough.
Councillor Robert Hardwick, Deputy Leader for Regulatory Services, said: “Almost all housing association housing in East Staffordshire is allocated in accordance with the housing allocations policy, so the policy is really important to housing applicants, potential applicants and neighbours.
“We are proposing a number of changes to deliver fairer decisions. We also want to assist those existing social tenants who will face housing benefit deductions from April next year.”
The consultation document can be found on the council’s website www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk under Have Your Say.
Computers can be used at the Council’s Customer Service Centres in Burton and Uttoxeter. A summary document can be requested by calling 01283 508149.
Comments are requested by Friday 5th October.
Key changes proposed include:
A lower threshold of serious unacceptable behaviour for excluding applicants from the housing register
Applicants will not gain priority for anything they have deliberately done, such as moving to unsuitable accommodation
Homeless households may be offered a private sector tenancy instead of a housing association tenancy
Better prioritisation of applicants with medical or welfare need so that those with higher need can hopefully be housed more quickly
Preference for local people by giving priority to people leaving supported housing only if they come from the Borough and lower priority for homeless people from other areas
New priority for those housing association tenants whose housing benefit will be cut from April 2013 because they are under-occupying according to new Government rules.
The changes proposed are those which the Council considers it appropriate to prioritise. The Council plans to consider the need for further changes in due course.
