The Allocations Manager introduced the report.  The Housing Panel noted the proposed change from a fortnightly lettings cycle lasting 13 days to a weekly cycle.  The Allocations Manager advised that 79% of bids were submitted during the first week of the current cycle.  This change, which would be authorised by the Head of Housing in early 2016, would help to minimise the loss of rental income to the Housing Revenue Account when properties become vacant.  It should also even out the workload of the Allocations Team, enabling a greater focus on assisting non-bidders.  The Panel welcomed this change as a sensible move, provided that any demographics that tended to bid later in the lettings cycle would not be disadvantaged as a result. 

The Panel questioned what methods of bidding were available to people who were disabled or visually impaired.  The Allocations Manager advised that assisted bidding was available and that family members or support workers could help bidders too.  The Panel suggested that an officer with an equalities background should review the bidding process to highlight any equalities issues or provide assurance that there were no such issues.

The Panel noted that of 428 offers of housing made in the first 7 months of the year, 64 were refused.  The Panel questioned how the number of refusals could be reduced and suggested that providing internal photos or holding open house sessions at advertised properties would help.  The Allocations Manager advised that refusal reasons were varied and that there was a need to look at whether refusals were reasonable or unreasonable.  Some people refused an offer of housing for spurious reasons although there were already penalties that could be applied if a bidder was clearly timewasting.  The Panel suggested that officers should provide a breakdown of reasonable and unreasonable refusal reasons and consider positive ways of reducing these.

The Panel resolved to:

1.    Request a breakdown of refusal reasons, including both reasonable and unreasonable refusals;

2.    Make two recommendations to the City Executive Board:

                      I.        That a review of the Choice Based Lettings bidding process should take place to highlight any equality issues;

                    II.        That Council Officers should explore positive ways of reducing the number of offers of housing that are refused.