Issue - meetings

Key Decision

Portfolio Holder

Councillor John Wilmott - Portfolio Holder for Licensing and Regulatory Services

RESOLVED that

a)    the findings of the evaluation of Selective Licensing Schemes, as attached at Appendix A, be noted;

b)    approval be given in principle to the renewal of the existing Selective Licensing Schemes for a further 5-year period, subject to a 10-week period of public consultation with the consultation period beginning immediately after the provisional decision is made and relating to both the terms and conditions of the scheme and the geographical boundaries of the designated areas;

c)    the Director of Housing and Assets be requested to arrange a briefing for all Members in early 2022 in relation to the Selective Licensing Schemes and the Council’s plans for extension for a further 5-year period.

Cabinet considered the key findings from the Evaluation Report relating to Selective Licensing for privately rented properties and options regarding the future of the schemes and a preferred way forward.

(During consideration of the item, the following declarations of interest were made:

1.    Councillor Tom Hollis declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest regarding his position as landlord of a property, located in the area currently regulated by the Council’s Selective Licensing Scheme.  He left the room and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

2.    Councillors Samantha Deakin, David Martin and Helen-Ann Smith declared Non-Registrable Interests in respect of this item.  They stayed in the room and took part in the discussion and voting thereon.)

Members considered the alternative options of declining to evaluate or renew the selective licensing schemes but this was not recommended.  The schemes were initially implemented to tackle localised problems and whilst they have had a beneficial impact, the localised problems still remain in one form or other and to end them would be a retrospective step.

The meeting adjourned at 11.09am and reconvened at 11.15am.

RESOLVED that

a)    the findings of the evaluation of Selective Licensing Schemes, as attached at Appendix A, be noted;

b)    approval be given in principle to the renewal of the existing Selective Licensing Schemes for a further 5-year period, subject to a 10-week period of public consultation with the consultation period beginning immediately after the provisional decision is made and relating to both the terms and conditions of the scheme and the geographical boundaries of the designated areas;

c)    the Director of Housing and Assets be requested to arrange a briefing for all Members in early 2022 in relation to the Selective Licensing Schemes and the Council’s plans for extension for a further 5-year period.

Reasons:

Selective Licensing was introduced in designated parts of Stanton Hill and Central Sutton (New Cross), Sutton in Ashfield in February 2017. The schemes were established for a 5-year period with the Council being obliged to review the impact of the schemes at its conclusion and consider options for moving forward and renewing them if appropriate.

The Evaluation Report highlights the benefits of the present schemes but also makes clear that issues in the designated areas persist in some form or other and that the best way of dealing with them is to extend the existing selective licensing schemes.