Decisions

(1) That the Enforcement and Service Standards: Private Housing, attached as Appendix 1 to this report be approved;

(2) That the new Financial Penalty Notice Matrix for certain Housing Act 2004 related offences at Appendix A to the above Standards be applied when issuing civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution;

(3) That a new fee structure for the licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMO), attached as Appendix 2 be introduced;

 (4) That the Council’s Fees and Charges Schedule be amended with immediate effect to reflect the use of financial penalties for certain enforcement, changes to the fee structure for HMO licensing and inclusion of charges for works in default; and

(5)  That the new fees and charges be reviewed annually as part of the corporate Review of Fees and Charges.  

(1)             That the amendments to the attached Housing Assistance Policy be approved.

                        1.         Officers continue the sale of freehold and the lease of Council properties in accordance with the requirements of the Right to Buy legislation as is current at the time of sale.

2.         That the post-completion related matters are undertaken in accordance with the then current statutory requirements

3.         That the Director of Communities be given delegated authority to determine requests for the release of covenants restricting development within the curtilages of properties previously sold under the Right to Buy, and whether or not the release should be agreed, having regard to what would be the reasonable viewpoint of both parties, noting that the Council is not entitled to any payment for the release of the covenant (other than payment of the Council’s reasonable legal costs), in accordance with current case law.

4.         That consequent on the decision above the Monitoring Officer be asked to make alterations to the existing Scheme of Delegation to Officers to reflect the matters set out in paragraph 3 of the report.

Purchase of vehicle for front line maintenance operations.

That Procurement Rule 2.9 (b) be waived to allow procurement of a new vehicle for the Grounds Maintenance Service by direct contract award to Advanced KFS Special Vehicles Ltd.