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After a four day trial in Chelmsford Crown Court Paula Callaway (DOB 29 May 1969) now of Brocks Mead Dunmow Essex was found guilty of two offences relating to Housing fraud. She had previously pleaded guilty to an offence of dishonestly subletting the property 9 Felstead Road Loughton Essex.

Paula Callaway became a tenant of Moat Housing at 49 Ravenoak way Chigwell in 1999. It is a three bedroom property. The tenancy agreement required to live at the property as her main home and not to sublet it without prior written permission.

In November 2011 Epping Forest District Council received an application for permission for Paula Callaway to carry out a mutual exchange with the tenant of the Council property at 9 Felstead Road Loughton. This is a one bedroom flat. The reason given by Paula Callway for the exchange was that she wished to downsize due to her children leaving home. The mutual exchange was approved and took place on 27^th January 2012.

Following a report to the Council’s confidential fraud hotline an investigation was commenced by Epping Forest District Council which revealed that Paula Callaway had purchased a property and had been living in Dunmow since October 2009 whilst still purporting to be a tenant of Moat Housing at Ravenoak Way Chigwell. She had not informed Moat Housing that she had moved out and had left her son at that property and had also rented it out to some of his friends. The mutual exchange was therefore a fraud and the reason she gave was false. At the trial it transpired that the tenant at Felstead Road with whom she carried out the mutual exchange was her sister in law and the real reason for wanting to mutually exchange was that her sister in law wanted to move to a three bedroom property.(49 Ravenoak Way)

Having gained the tenancy of 9 Felstead Road, Paula Callaway then illegally sublet it.

At an interview under caution Paula Callaway terminated the tenancy of 9 Felstead Road and returned it to the Council

On 15^th September 2017 Ms Callaway was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and 150 hours unpaid work.

Epping Forest District Council also pursued a claim for Proceeds of Crime against Ms Callaway and at Chelmsford Crown Court on 30^th March 2018 was ordered to pay compensation of £49,020 and costs of £7480 to the Council.

(Further information: Graeme Oakley ext 4012)

“HomeSwapper” is the UK’s largest internet-based mutual exchange service for social housing tenants who are looking to swap homes.  The Council has been working in partnership with HomeSwapper for around 10 years and makes an annual subscription which enables the service to be provided free of charge to its qualifying tenants. 

Any qualifying tenant of the Council can join online at www.HomeSwapper.co.uk  Support will be provided by staff in the Housing Options Section to those who do not have access to the Internet. 

Once they have joined, they will be automatically matched to any potential swaps and will be notified of matches either by email or SMS text and can use the information provided to assist them in finding a new home. 

Following the annual review of HomeSwapper by officers it was reported that in 2017/2018:

·        The Council completed 65 mutual exchanges through the service

·        12% of all the Council’s tenants are registered with HomeSwapper compared to the national average of only 5%

·        The Council is in the top 10% of authorities in terms of usage and success rate

Providing the service to our tenants brings a substantial saving to the Council as under the mutual exchange process void (empty property) turn-around costs in terms of property repairs and rental losses are avoided.

(Further information: Russell Wallace ext 4303)

Please see attached.

Please see attached.

Please be advised that the Licensing Unit has received the following applications for New Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003 for the premises below:

Please ensure that any comments/objections are received by the Licensing team on or before the consultation end date:

Licensing Manager                               Kim Tuckey 01992 564034

Licensing Officer                                   Debbie Houghton 01992 564336

1.            Appeals Lodged

 None this week

2.         Forthcoming Planning Inquiries/Hearings -

None this week

3.            Enforcement Appeals

None this week

4.         Appeal Decisions

EPF/1776/17 – Land to East of Berry Lodge, Fyfield Road, Willingale Essex CM5 0QA - Re-development of existing and former Nissen Huts to create a single storey, three bedroom house – Dismissed

5.         Tree Preservation Orders

None this week

6.         S106 Agreements

None this week

7.         Changes to Planning Systems

None this week

None this week

It is important to note, that when enforcement action has been authorised, this includes any subsequent action under Part VII of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, including a prosecution or an injunction.

The notification of decisions taken by individual Portfolio Holders is no longer included in the Council Bulletin.

All members of the Council receive automatic email notification of the publication of each individual Portfolio Holder decision and the call-in period for each decision commences immediately. Members wishing to call-in a decision should complete the attached call-in form and return it to Democratic Services before the expiry of five working days following the publication date of the decision. Members should refer to the Constitution (Article 6 - Overview and Scrutiny) for the rules of call-in.