The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety has submitted a report to inform Cabinet of the results of the consultation exercise carried out into the proposal to introduce a selective licensing scheme in the city.

Following the consultation it is proposed that a selective licensing scheme is introduced, however there have been some proposed changes to the scheme based on the feedback received. If the recommendations are approved, a submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government will be required for confirmation before the scheme can be implemented.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

1.    Consider the outcome of the consultation process detailed in the report (Appendix 1), in particular the representations received and the Council’s consideration and response to these ( Appendix 3);

2.    Approve the designations as outlined in Appendix 5A and 5B as being subject to selective licencing and confirm that Cabinet is satisfied :

a.             That the statutory grounds and requirements outlined in this report to introduce a selective licensing scheme have been met

b.             That it has considered other courses of action available to it that might provide an effective method of achieving the objectives that the designation intends to achieve , and

c.              That it considers that making the designations will significantly assist it to achieve those objectives

3.    Agree that a submission be made to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government requesting confirmation of the designations;

4.    Delegate, subject to recommendation 3, to the Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety and the Head of Law and Governance in consultation with the Cabinet member for Planning and Housing Delivery, responsibility for agreeing the final documentation requesting confirmation of the scheme to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG);

5.    Agree to the proposed fee structure for licence applications at Appendix 7;

6.    Agree the proposed licence conditions that would accompany any granted selective licence at Appendix 4; and

7.    Agree the proposed eligibility criteria as detailed in Appendix 6.

The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety had submitted a reportto inform Cabinet of the results of the consultation exercise carried out into the proposal to introduce a selective licensing scheme in the city.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery, introduced the report. The response to the consultation which was the subject of the report was noteworthy because of the number of responses to it (2000 plus). He was pleased that the intensive and extensive consultation had resulted in such a response to inform the final version of such an important scheme. He drew attention to two changes made as a result of the consultation, set out in the report, one of  which included a requirement for improved access to data/feedback about the scheme. Confidence in the scheme by all concerned would be improved by this addition.  

The Chair said this was another important area  of work,  she was pleased to see the high level of engagement with it and that landlords and agents would be able to see that their concerns had been listened to.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Consider the outcome of the consultation process detailed in the report (Appendix 1), in particular the representations received and the Council’s consideration and response to these ( Appendix 3);

2.    Approve the designations as outlined in Appendix 5A and 5B as being subject to selective licencing and confirm that Cabinet is satisfied :

a.             That the statutory grounds and requirements outlined in this report to introduce a selective licensing scheme have been met

b.             That it has considered other courses of action available to it that might provide an effective method of achieving the objectives that the designation intends to achieve , and

c.              That it considers that making the designations will significantly assist it to achieve those objectives

3.    Agree that a submission be made to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government requesting confirmation of the designations;

4.    Delegate, subject to recommendation 3, to the Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety and the Head of Law and Governance in consultation with the Cabinet member for Planning and Housing Delivery, responsibility for agreeing the final documentation requesting confirmation of the scheme to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG);

5.    Agree to the proposed fee structure for licence applications at Appendix 7;

6.    Agree the proposed licence conditions that would accompany any granted selective licence at Appendix 4; and

7.    Agree the proposed eligibility criteria as detailed in Appendix 6