Issue details

Officers have engaged with internal CBC Teams, including Housing Options, Housing Management, Lettings and Housing Enabling Officers to ensure that both housing need and community cohesion impacts are reflected within the wording of the Local Lettings Plan. Following this internal consultation, officers engaged with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services, who enquired as to whether older people could potentially be included in the plan, especially those seeking to downsize. Officers responded by confirming that, through Homeseeker Plus, applicants seeking to downsize (who are often pensioners) receive emergency banding to help households (irrespective of age) downsize from larger to smaller properties. Officers also clarified that, there was nothing within the proposed LLP which would prevent allocations via emergency band on this scheme, if pensioners wished to move into these homes, notwithstanding that the primary purpose of the LLP is to help strengthen community cohesion. Additionally, officers engaged with CBC’s finance team, who stated that this being an extension to an existing plan aiming to make better use of a housing stock and meet local needs, has no financial impact on the general funds of the Council.