Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
Annual Tenants
Conference
Tenants, residents,
elected members,
NPHL staff
NPHL
The council’s Arms
Length Management
Organisation
when
method of
consultation
29/06/04
Presentation &
workshops
Right
through
the
process
Represented on
steering group;
presentations to
staff, group
discussions,
working group,
seminars
1
feedback
changes to proposed policy
 general consensus liked the
transparency of the system
 proactive participation by applicants seen
as an improvement on current system
Eligibility and Ineligibility - align the Policy’s
grounds for ineligibility with those
specifically allowed under the legislation
none at this stage as just
introducing the concept of CBL
reasonable preference must be given to the
5 categories of persons laid down in the
legislation, one of which is “those who need
to move on medical or welfare grounds” –
the policy needs to be clear on exactly how
priority will be allocated between the
proposed priority groups (in relation to the
apportionment of vacant properties
between groups)
for .. homeseekers requiring some level of
adaptation (and ground floor accom.) on
medical grounds – can the mechanism of
appropriately “labelling” properties be used
to achieve this?
Parts of the eligibility chapter
in policy rewritten in line with
legal advice
The priority bands have been
aligned to the reasonable
preference categories as per
legal opinion
The policy is explicit in terms
of how priority is awarded and
the proportion of vacant
properties assigned to each
group
On advert, properties will be
labelled and, where special
needs, the type of special
need will be indicated so that
homeseekers are clear about
the appropriateness of the
property being advertised
Vulnerable and Excluded People homeseekers can utilise the
arrangements for taking applications from
enrolment methods they prefer
vulnerable and excluded people need to be –this will be explained in preclarified
launch literature
Emergency Housing - notwithstanding the
The 2 things are not
need for transparency highlighted in
incompatible – where
Counsel’s opinion, it is obviously critical that emergency housing situations
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
the safety and privacy of individuals is not
compromised in any way by the new
scheme
Community Lettings Policy - We hope that
the present mechanisms for resident
involvement in the allocations process will
continue - clarification needed as to
whether the operation of the new policy will
result in reduced resident involvement
Salford Housing
Providers Group
SCC, NPHL, Salford
RSL’s and HA’s
Registered
social landlords
NPHL, SCC, Salford
RSL’s and HA’s
series of
monthly
meetings
07/10/04
21/10/04
11/11/04
07/03/05
10/03/05
15/03/05
Presentation,
workshops &
meeting
workshops – to
revise the noms
agreement
signed in 1992.
consultation
packs,
presentations
Reviews and Appeals - This important area
appears not to be covered in the
consultation draft
In-principle agreement to collaborate in
developing city-wide scheme
 RSLs reluctant to reintroduce redundant
1992 nominations agreement
 sustainability and other management
issues not adequately addressed in 1992
agreement – especially the impact on
relet times and operational estate
2
changes to proposed policy
arise, feedback will be
provided to scheme members
to indicate property let under
management arrangements
without being specific
resident involvement in lettings
through CLP can continue
similar to current
arrangements although it is not
expected that CLP could veto
an allocation that was
otherwise agreeable. CLP
arrangements will be reviewed
regularly post-introduction of
CBL to ensure best practice
Section 8.3 of the policy deals
with appeals
Allocations Steering Group
established to develop
allocations policy
RSLs encouraged to enter
voluntary interim arrangement
with the property shop pending
revisions to agreement
RSLs responsible for
processing their empty
properties for adverts and
running shortlists on closing of
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation





3
feedback
changes to proposed policy
management – will Choice further
exacerbate this?
impact of (CBL) on local lettings policies
clarification of right to nominate against
the right to allocate
loss of control for RSLs in managing the
composition of estates - preventing an
‘over-concentration’ of needs on estates
will Choice mean a common housing
register and/or a common allocations
policy
Communication gap – having enough
information to effectively manage the
process
bidding cycles – this way RSLs
manage the process
 managing suspended/excluded
applicants
 ensuring integrity of allocation and
reference checking
 how to make sure that applicants with
support needs have the support package
in place prior to allocation
 cost of implementing CBL – who it falls
on and how to make sure the product
serves the needs of RSLs
RSLs can apply reasonable
local lettings criteria as long as
no adverse diversity impacts
ensue – however plans to
harmonise allocations across
regions so policy reflects this.
In-principle agreement for a
common housing register
web-based scheme so all
information readily available
on all homeseeker and
vacancy – also use preallocation viewing; virtual
viewing; group viewings
plans to centralise referencing
and ID checks – the scheme
will agree protocol for checking
and storing references
homeseekers with support
needs can be identified and
appropriate service package
prepared prior to allocation as
now easier to predict likelihood
of successful allocation
Various models for running
service currently under
consideration and will be
subject of report to lead
member
4
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Joint Referral
reps (JR)
Representation
SCC, Special Needs
team, Mental Health
services, Learning
Difficulties Team
Supported Tenancies,
Homeless Persons,
Next Steps, PCT,
NPHL
when
method of
consultation
feedback
18/03/05
&
19/04/05
Presentation
and discussion
forum
 require additional priority for children
leaving care (from Group B to Group A)
within the policy
none as already given
reasonable preference
 having adequate assistance available on
registration for bidding for vulnerable
homeseekers
 role and responsibility of joint referral
agencies
scheme now proposes to have
trained personnel at all officebased and telephone service
point. Other measures
integrated into service to assist
vulnerable households
- propose a single person to
coordinate JR process across
Salford
may require amendment to the
JR process – to be tied in with
the review of supporting
people strategy
ensure trained assistance
available –
 effective management of the JR process
 role of JR agreement in assisting service
users with support needs to find suitable
accom
Where People
Live Group
Social Workers/team
leaders
Care providers
Community Housing
Dev – reps
Carers
People with learning
disabilities
Carers Centre
25/04/05
Presentations
and discussions
Delegates given
consultation
pack and asked
to comment
Red card
systems to
ensure
 how to make sure that the level of
support needed to assist the registration
and bidding process for people with
learning difficulties is maintained

 who would pay for any addition support
requirement (if deemed outside current
scope of support service contract)
changes to proposed policy
support would be met within
existing budget streams but
may require budget
realignment
5
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
Manager
Drug and
Alcohol Action
Team (DAAT)
Housing
Steering Group
method of
consultation
feedback
attendees able
to fully
participate in
discussions
 if adults with a learning difficulty were to
move out of the borough, who pays the
support service costs?
Presentations
and discussions
Delegates given
consultation
pack as asked
to comment
access to service for prisoners and people
with drugs and alcohol dependency issues
will plans for central referencing further
exacerbate the problem of homehunting for
ex-offenders
No policy amendment made
No action required as new
policy makes specific
reference to the methods by
which sheltered
accommodation will be dealt
with by the system
No specific actions emerged
from meeting
DAAT Coordinator
DIP Manager
Supporting People
Manager
Director, Beacon
Support
STASH Inclusion
Manager
CJIT Manager
Criminal Justice
Worker, SDS
Housing Social
Strategy Officer
Providers of sheltered
housing including
NPHL and HA’s
04/05//05
06/05/05
Presentation
along with
consultation
pack of
documents
Queries mainly to do with access by
vulnerable applicants & general needs
applicants being unable to view these
properties
Eccles Housing
Office
NPHL
11/05/05
Presentations,
discussions and
handouts.
Delegates given
consultation
pack as asked
to comment
Queries mainly to do with local lettings
policies - namely changing of age
restrictions on blocks
Peoples Forum
Council tenants from
11/05/05
Sheltered
Housing
Operational
Group
changes to proposed policy
concerns about proposed changes to
pursue the challenge of subregional service e.g. floating
support – alternatively
changes required to national
supporting people policy
Web-based service so
everyone will have access as
long as they can access
internet
Thorough & detailed
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
Salford; elected
members; NPHL
Homeless
Providers Group
– Operational
Managers
Homeless Project
Eccles Diversity
Forum
Operational Managers
of homeless provision
12/05/05
Consultation
pack (including
draft policy)
sent
BME residents
Voluntary sector
organisations
SCC officers
17/05/05
Presentation
and discussion
feedback
6
changes to proposed policy
community lettings policies; impact of
homelessness, vulnerable applicants and
local lettings arrangements – especially
child at height but otherwise fairly positive
meeting
No direct feedback received as group did
not require us to attend at that time but
meeting arranged for Nov 2005
explanation of how each is
dealt with by the policy,
therefore no changes required
due to the low number of Pakistani tenants,
would it be justified to have a choice based
lettings system dedicated solely to such
groups
The CBL scheme is
transparent – this give lend
legitimacy to the process. To
have a CBL scheme for a
specific group would be
counter-productive and illegal
The waiting period to be re-housed is too
long, even in cases where BME tenants are
experiencing crime and disorder from their
neighbours and have health problems. How
will choice based lettings alleviate the
problem of lengthy waiting lists?
people can choose the
properties they want to live in,
so the idea of a ‘waiting list’ is
redundant. Nevertheless, the
scheme needs a good supply
of vacant properties to make it
offer real choice
Pakistani tenants need to have larger
homes to accommodate their generally
larger family units. Service providers need
to appreciate this
Homeseekers will bid for
properties that match their
requirements .. where larger
properties are needed, the
scheme will evidence this and
can then be fed into the
strategic plan for housing
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
Salford
Providers of care for
Providers Forum learning difficulties
18/05/05
Presentation at
evening
meeting –
handouts and
Q&A session
Sheltered
Housing
Tenants Forum
tenants from various
sheltered schemes
across the City
18/05/05
Salford South
Housing Office
NPHL – estate
management
18/05/05
Presentation at
evening
meeting –
handouts and
Q&A session
Presentation.
Handouts, Q&A
session
How will choice impact on Providers /
Landlords ?
how to prevent referrals that have a charge
to support packages (including housing)
causing problems
will providers will receive training
The Where People Live Task Group needs
to take issues on board and get better
about putting bids together for housing
We should start to open up discussions
around people having choice, if they
choose not to share a house with someone,
what steps do we take?
will people in sheltered housing have to bid
for properties?
how does system cater for older people
who are unable to use computers?
Worsley
Housing Office
NPHL
01/06/05
Presentation.
handouts and
discussions
Issues concerned access to the housing
register; ID verification; Properties for older
persons; extending the definition of family
type of accommodation; Furnished homes;
housing priority; Getting a home; the
proportion of vacant properties to be let
through CBL; Selecting successful
customers; Community lettings
arrangements, pets and monitoring the
policy
Queries mainly to do with local lettings
policies; ensure vulnerable people are
catered for, and; when references would be
carried out and by whom
7
changes to proposed policy
the issues were largely of
implementation rather than of
policy
Local lettings to be retained;
references & ID checks will be
taken up just before an
allocation
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
8
feedback
changes to proposed policy
A range of housing options will
be included in CBL – there will
be links to ‘My Home’ to
expand range of service
available at point of contact
Market Support
Team - internal
SCC
06/06/05
Presentation,
handouts and
group
discussion
Queries mainly to do with other information,
which can be accessed around housing
information & services, links to ‘My Home’
Swinton
Community
Committee
Local tenants
organisations, SCC
officers, Councillors,
NPHL
14/06/05
Swinton
Housing Office
NPHL
15/06/05
Presentation.
handouts
included the
Presentation.
handouts and
discussions
Presentation.
handouts and
discussions
Queries mainly to do with local lettings
policies; ensure vulnerable people are
catered for, and; when references would be
carried out and by whom. Also queries
around homelessness, queue jumping and
transparency
Main issues were local lettings policies;
taking up references and reasonable
preference
Salford North
Housing Office
NPHL
15/06/05
Presentation.
handouts and
discussions
Salford South
Local Board
Local tenants and their
representatives,
Elected Councillors,
NPHL
28/06/05
Presentation,
handouts and
discussions
Private
Landlords
Working Group
Private Landlords in
Salford
04/07/05
Presentation,
discussion and
handout
Queries mainly to do with local lettings
policies; ensure vulnerable people are
catered for, and; when references would be
carried out and by whom. Plus queries
around marketing & advertising
Queries regarding; will the policy do away
with local lettings and community lettings;
why is the policy considering allowing
children into multi-storey blocks as multis
are not appropriate for young people or
children
 what are the benefits to private landlords
through CBL?
What provision is there in the policy for
managing nuisance not caused by the
tenant but a third party, e.g. a visiting
Local lettings will be retained
and there is a place for
community lettings policies.
The council will continue to
consider how to make best
use of the housing stock
access to a wider pool of
homeseekers than current.
Plans to centralising reference
and ID checks should result in
more robust management of
exclusion under the Housing
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
9
changes to proposed policy
boyfriend or someone else who resides
at the property
 at what point would CBL exclude a
tenant?
Act. So homeseekers will not
have recent eviction history for
anti-social behaviour, rent
arrears etc.
 impact of local housing allowance on
choice?
minimal impact as rent will be
advertised; vulnerable
homeseekers who will
potentially be on benefits
ought to have a support
package agreed prior to the
allocation including benefit
claims
private landlords will retain full
control over allocations to their
properties – and should
imagine the scheme as a
tenant finding service
The CBL will be made readily
available. It will be managed
by a specialist team and
landlords will be able to use as
little or as much of the scheme
as they choose. However, the
tenancy once the property is
let, the tenancy is a matter
between the landlord and
tenant
the assumption that
homeseekers on the housing
register are ‘high risk’ is
unfounded as the housing
 to what degree would the landlord be
involved in selecting his tenant, if they
were to use the CBL scheme
 what kind of support would the authority
would provide for landlords, who wish to
participate in the scheme?
It was noted that the duty of care was to
provide the support package to the tenant
and not the landlord – is it realistic to ask
landlords to recruit tenants from a high-risk
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
group (as, for instance, insurers or credit
authorities tend to avoid high risk groups)
Local Housing
Allowance –
Vulnerability
Focus Group
Welfare Rights;
Homelessness;
Housing Benefits;
04/07/05
Briefing and
discussion
what assurances are there for landlords
that someone who abandons a tenancy
without giving proper notice would not be
able to use the scheme again.
 the support for vulnerable people within
the policy
10
changes to proposed policy
register comprises a variety of
folks – in any event, CBL
provides a simple and
transparent one-stop-shop that
landlords are encouraged to
use – the council expects a
‘wait & see’ approach by some
housing providers.
tighten up regulations about
exclusion and checking
previous tenancy history
Community Housing
Development Team;



Consideration should be given within
the service to train voluntary statutory
agencies in the process as support
workers could assist vulnerable tenants
in completing an application
Assistance would also be considered at
various outstations and the provision of
lower keypads etc at kiosks. The team
are currently completing Impact
Assessments to identify any gaps to
include processes for example a more
in depth interview where required.
where accommodation is for a specific
need group and may only be suitable
for a tenant with a disability can anyone
It was also discussed that the
call centre through the
Customer Support
Assessment CSA could offer
support where needed. DW
and AS left the meeting
DW stated this type of
accommodation would not be
included in the bidding process
11
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Lunch Time
Learning –
Salford
Involvement
Network
Independent
Living Board
Tenant
Management
Co-operatives
Representation
when
method of
consultation
Salford Council for
Voluntary Services,
Passionately Curious,
Salford Primary Care
Trust, Bolton, Salford &
Trafford Mental Health
Trust, Greater
Manchester Passenger
Transport Executive,
Salford University, Age
Concern Salford,
Salford City Council,
Greater Manchester
Police and many other
local agencies and
organisations
representation from
PCT, Social Services,
Housing, voluntary
agencies and service
users
07/07/05
Presentation
and discussion
- handouts
11/07/05
Presentation &
discussion.
handouts
New Barrack Street
and Windsor & Albion
TMOs; SCC officers
13/07/05
Presentation &
discussion.
Handouts –
feedback
bid for this property
Generally positive about the idea of choice
especially its transparency and simplicity of
use
changes to proposed policy
none
Need to find ways of encouraging younger
people into seeking council properties
Meeting with
board
representatives
Using ground floor accommodation for
meeting needs of people needing that type
of property; need to revisit the special
needs housing policy to make sure that
medical assessments were awarding
appropriate priority to homeseekers with a
disability; what is role of allocations in the
grants aid process
the cooperative has 3 main allocation
criteria i.e. housing priority; waiting time and
evidence of co-operability/ participation –
the CBL policy recognises 2. How to
incorporate evidence of cooperability?
a sub-group of the
independent living board will
respond to the council's
consultation documents on
behalf of the group
On enrolling for CBL,
homeseekers will be asked if
interested in TMOs. If yes,
information will be provided as
well as the arrangements
governing this type of
management and criteria for
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
The process of considering transfers within
the TMO scheme as priority above other
homeseekers has helped to create viable
estates – will CBL prevent this
Older Peoples
Development
Board
PCT, Social services,
Housing
20/07/05
Presentation,
discussion and
gave handouts
The cooperative must be able to interview
prospective members and to accept into
membership those who will share in some
measure in that vision – CBL appears to
rule this out
 how will you make sure that older people
aren’t disadvantaged – especially those
who are less mobile
 will there be any special arrangements
for letting sheltered accommodation
 does policy make better use of
previously adapted properties
12
changes to proposed policy
allocation. However, retention
of the 3 criteria is subject to no
diversity impacts
No unless the policy
contravenes the RRA (2000)
The CBL will include a register
of homeseekers with a
disability and will prompt
whenever suitable
accommodation becomes
available. Proxy bidding will
enable organisations, carers or
family members to bid on
behalf of vulnerable
homeseekers who desire it
Sheltered and disabled
persons’ accommodation will
be allocated through choice
and only qualifying
homeseekers will be able to
bid for this type of
accommodation
CBL will be ‘aware’ of
properties that have been
Appendix 2 Consultation overview for allocations policy
Stakeholder
consulted
Representation
when
method of
consultation
feedback
 how will the council change things if CBL
isn’t working
Mental Health
Social Forum
Social Services;
Support Workers; PCT
27/07/05
Community
Occupational
Therapy Service
Social Services & PCT
27/7/05
Sample survey 10% of register
Legal opinion
Presentation
and group
discussion
Concern about safeguards for people with
learning difficulties; what is the role of joint
referrals in the process
whether we need to revise the special
needs policy to those in greatest need of
housing priority
are homeseekers with learning difficulties
likely to get the priority they deserve under
this scheme and how will they be picked up
See section 3.7 of main report
See appendix 3a & 3b
13
changes to proposed policy
adapted and will treat them as
special needs accommodation
The policy and the scheme will
be monitored and reported
regularly to stakeholders.
Annual reviews will help to
adjust policy areas; outcomes
reports will enable members of
the scheme to monitor on a
property by property basis how
fair the process is and the
pattern of lets will be regularly
checked to ensure that an
appropriate proportions of
vacant properties is allocated
to each group
The special needs policy has
not been changed but there
will be a revision of the criteria
for high priority under the
scheme