Agenda item

To receive and consider recommendations from the Executive and the Licensing Committee.

Councillor D J Bittleston moved and Councillor C S Kemp seconded the reception and adoption of the report and recommendations of the meetings of the Executive held on 14 September and 12 October 2017.

Councillor Harlow moved and Councillor Addison seconded the reception and adoption of the report and recommendations of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 10 October 2017.

executive – 14 september 2017

          Private rented sector access scheme policy

Councillor Kemp introduced the recommendations before the Council in respect of the adoption of the Private Rented Sector Access Scheme Policy.  The Council welcomed the proposals set out in the Policy.                                                                                                              WBC17-031

Resolved

That  (i)    the Private Rented Sector Access Scheme Policy, as set out in the Appendix to the report, be adopted;

         (ii)   the Strategic Director for Housing be delegated authority to agree leases with private landlords for accommodation to be used in accordance with the Policy;

         (iii)   the Strategic Director for Housing be delegated authority to make minor amendments to the Policy (specifically including changes to the scope and level of incentives) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

         (iv)  the Council’s Allocation Policy be amended such that existing tenants accommodated through the Council’s existing Private Rented Sector Access schemes cease to be eligible to apply for the Council’s Housing Register after 31 March 2018; and

         (v)   the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant be used to provide the additional £95k budget provision required to deliver the Let’s Rent Connect scheme and £10k for the Let’s Rent Complete scheme.

Licensing Private Rented Accommodation - Proposal to make a selective licensing designation in part of Canalside Ward

The Members considered the proposal to introduce a selective licensing scheme for private rented accommodation in part of the Canalside ward.  A supplementary report had been prepared which set out the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which had reviewed the proposals at its meeting on 19 September, together with the amendments to the commencement and end dates for the scheme proposed by the Committee.  In light of concerns raised over the proposals, the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Kemp, outlined the proposals in detail, explaining that the Council would only be asking for copies of documents that the landlords were required to have by law.  The charging structure had been reviewed in light of the comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Council was advised that, for those landlords submitting valid applications prior to the commencement date, there would be no charge.  In the event landlords did not submit a valid application prior to the commencement date, a charge of £560 would be levied, matching the anticipated cost of processing each application.

Councillor Kemp responded to the points raised before the matter was put to a vote.  In accordance with Standing Order 10.8 the names of Members voting for and against the recommendations were recorded.

In favour:                   Councillors Mrs H J Addison, A Azad, D J Bittleston, J E Bond.             A J Boote, A C L Bowes, M A Bridgeman, G G Chrystie, K M Davis,       I Eastwood, D Harlow, K Howard, D E Hughes, Mrs B A Hunwicks,       S Hussain, I Johnson, C S Kemp, R Mohammed, A E Murray,              M Pengelly, C Rana and M A Whitehand.

                                   TOTAL in favour – 22

Against:                      Councillors T Aziz and M I Raja

                                   TOTAL against – 2

Present not voting:     Councillor L M N Morales.

                                   TOTAL present not voting – 1

The recommendations were therefore carried by 22 votes to 2 votes.  WBC17-030

Resolved

That  (i)    the Head of Democratic and Legal Services be delegated authority to designate a selective licensing designation under the Housing Act 2004 within the area of Canalside Ward set out in the report and at Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 to the report;

         (ii)   the selective licensing designation come into force on 1 April 2018;

         (iii)   the selective licensing designation cease on 31 March 2023;

         (iv)  the fee structure for the selective licensing scheme set out in Appendix 9 to the report be adopted and subsequently reviewed as part of the Council’s fees and charges setting process;

         (v)   the Strategic Director for Housing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, be delegated authority to amend the Council’s Houses in Multiple Occupation Licensing Policy to incorporate the introduction of selective licensing and rename as the Housing Standards Licensing Policy; and

         (vi)  the Strategic Director for Housing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, be delegated authority to make minor amendments to the Housing Standards Licensing Policy.

Major Works Affecting Leaseholders and Arrangement for the Payment of Service Charges                                                                          WBC17-030

Resolved

That  (i)    the consultation procedure and payment plan arrangements for Leaseholders outlined in the report be adopted; and

         (ii)   delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director for Housing to make minor changes to the policy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing.

Licensing committee – 10 october 2017

Review of Scheme of Delegations

Resolved

That authority be delegated to the Legal Services Manager to:

(i)        authorise named officers of the Licensing Team to be “authorised persons” for the purposes of the Licensing Act 2003; and

(ii)       authorise named officers of the Licensing Team to be “authorised officers of the Council” for the purposes of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Executive – 12 october 2017

the transformation agenda – Mandatory Training Programme for Elected Members

Councillor Kemp, Lead Member for Member Learning and Development, introduced proposals to adopt a mandatory training programme for elected members for core areas of development.  It was noted that the training would be provided on-line where possible to enable Members to complete the programme at times suitable for them.  The proposals were welcomed and it was             WBC17-030

Resolved

That a programme of mandatory training for Elected Members be introduced as part of the Council’s Learning and Development Programme for Councillors from May 2018 onwards as outlined in Section 3.0 of the report.

adoption of ordinary watercourse byelaws

Councillor Mrs Hunwicks introduced the proposals for the adoption of byelaws for ordinary water courses.  The Council was assured that the proposals did not ignore the areas affected by flooding and covered all the watercourses in the Borough.

In considering the item, Councillor Mrs Hunwicks drew attention to the fact that, although not an interest under the Members Code of Conduct, she lived near to a water course.

                                                                                                                        WBC17-030

Resolved

That  (i)    the proposal to make drainage byelaws, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be endorsed;

         (ii)   the Council consult with Defra, Natural England and the local navigation authority on the Council’s proposal to make the drainage byelaws;

         (iii)   subject to there being no objections by Defra, Natural England and the local navigation authority to the informal consultation the byelaws be made;

         (iv)  the Assistant Director (Place), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, be authorised to consider and seek to resolve any objection to the said byelaws being made (including amending the proposed byelaws);

         (v)   the byelaws be submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation with or without any outstanding objections (as the case may be); and

         (vi)  in the event these byelaws are adopted by the Council, authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place) to authorise or refuse any applications for consents submitted under the said byelaws.