FIFE COUNCIL
Adult Services Committee
10 th September 2004
Agenda Item No………….
Fife Allocations Policy Review
1.0 Introduction
1.1 This Report outlines to Members the deliberations of the Cross-Party
Working Group on Housing during the formal review the Fife Council
Housing Allocations Policy, recommendations on policy issues and feedback from consultation with principal stakeholders which informed the 11 recommendations for changes to the Policy.
2.0 Background to Fife Allocations Policy
2.1 In April 2001, Fife Council adopted a Fife-wide Allocations Policy replacing the Area-based Policies, following an extensive and exhaustive 5-year period of consultation with Members, Communities and Stakeholder Groups. The principles and objectives of the policy are founded on the following themes.
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Lawful and meets good practice
Needs of individuals
Needs of communities
Open and transparent
Customer centred
Procedures and systems
Integration
2.2 The Policy was implemented across the 23 Localities during
September 2002 with a commitment to review the operation of the
Policy at the end of the first year.
3.0 Fife Allocations Policy Review Process
3.1
The Cross-Party Working Group on Housing, Chaired by Councillor
Theresa Gunn, began the review of the Policy in January 2004. To date, there have been a series of 5 Meetings to consider reports from the Housing Service and Local Office Network. Details of the Policy
Issues, and views of the working group are provided in appendix 1 to this Report.
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3.2 During June-August 2004, four Consultation/Briefing Meetings were held with Elected Members and with Registered Tenants Groups. For record purposes only the feedback from the events have been summarised and presented in Appendices 2 & 3 to this Report. Taken together with the areas for review identified by the Cross-Party Working
Group, the Consultation Feedback has been used to scope out 11 recommendations for policy improvement/amendment to this
Committee.
3.3 It is also worthy of note that stakeholders appreciated fully the difficulties of enhancing the performance of the Allocations Policy in a context of housing supply shortages in specific localities. The Local
Housing Strategy has highlighted and quantified shortfalls in supply of affordable housing. Suggestions were forthcoming to incentivise tenants to move from under-occupied housing to smaller, more appropriate housing should be seriously considered.
3.4 Wider issues raised included the need to enhance estates management services to people particularly living in flats. All of the points raised will be communicated to the Housing/Local Office
Network Service Improvement Teams.
4.0 Key Issues Arising
4.1 The principal outcomes of the Policy Review process are summarised as follows:
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 the principles of the Allocations Policy are endorsed. housing allocation priority should be awarded based on an extensive range of housing needs.
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 amendment to the Policy must not compromise the overriding requirement that the policy complies with current legislation. there is a case for improvement to the Policy in several key areas
4.2 The Review process has highlighted 11 policy issues where action is required to enhance the performance of the Policy.
4.2.1 Local Lettings Plans/Community Lettings Initiatives
– all stakeholders recognised the importance of taking forward the programme of establishing local lettings plans, and, where appropriate, community lettings initiatives. Local Lettings Plans are the means to apply the Fife Policy in each Locality in accordance with local needs and the nature of the stock. This process needs to be taken forward to a conclusion by December 2004.
4.2.2 Top of the List Preservation – the original reason for the introduction of the 400-point award was to ensure when the policy was first introduced that applicants were not disadvantaged to an unreasonable degree. The award was to remain in force for a period of 12 months. It is recognised that this period has been exceeded and that the award should be removed from the remaining 180 applicants by October
2004.
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Improving Allocations Information/Options to Applicants
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The interests and needs of applicants to be at the heart of the Allocations process is paramount. The Policy should be understood, the reason for points awards transparent and open to challenge. Improving information and advice on housing options can enable the bridging of gaps between the implementation of the policy and the needs of applicants. Increased effort needs to be put into improving both IT software and written information to achieve better engagement with the Policy.
4.2.3 Improving the Currency of Applicant Information – Improved allocation performance in terms of speed of allocation, and sensitivity of allocation, can best be achieved by a regular review of the Housing
List. The need to maintain an annual review of the List is acknowledged.
4.2.4 Young Families Living in Flats with no Private Gardens – The needs of young children to enjoy play space in a safe environment is endorsed by stakeholders. Increased allocation priority can be achieved by a change of housing need category and an increased level of points.
4.2.5 Overcrowding and Access to Adequately Sized Properties – There is a need to improve priority to ensure that households who are overcrowded, and those with a need to access appropriately sized accommodation in short supply in localities are allowed flexibility to resolve their housing need.
4.2.6 Equal Opportunities
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The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 highlights the need for Local Authorities to improve equality of opportunity for applicants in disadvantaged circumstances. The Review process highlighted two particular sets of circumstances where equality issues may have been compromised, i.e. pregnant women who miscarry, and parents with access rights to children. Recommendations are put forward to improve the situation.
4.2.7 Improving Priority for Applicants to Provide or Receive Support –
A hotly-debated issue during the review centred on the needs of applicants to stay in localities to receive support from, or provide support to close relatives. A revised system of “Support” Points is recommended to ensure that there is an equal opportunity for all applicants to express a need to live close to family relatives.
4.2.8 Enhancing the level of Allocations to Statutory Homeless
Households – The review endorsed the need to increase the level of allocations to the homeless, recognising the increasing demand for temporary accommodation and the requirements of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 to house all homeless people in permanent accommodation by 2012. There is also recognition that homeless households with medical and social needs should be given additional priority for appropriate housing.
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5.0
Conclusion
5.1 Allocation Policies must reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that they are still relevant to tackling housing needs, comply with any changes to legislation, and reflect emerging/developing good practice.
The current Policy Review Process has been taken forward objectively, and critically, to ensure that the needs of applicants, stakeholders, and communities are considered.
6.0 Recommendations
6.1 Members are asked, subject to a report back seeking formal approval of the Council’s published Housing Allocations Policy, to
(1) Approve the 11 recommendations for change to the Fife Allocations
Policy as contained in appendix 1.
(2) Authorise the Head of Housing to:
(a) Make such revisals as are necessary to the Council’s Housing
Allocations Policy to give effect to the recommendations for change,
(b) Arrange, as required by legislation, to provide all tenants affected by the changes to express their views
Alan Davidson
Head of Housing
Contact: John Mills
Housing Manager (Allocations and Homelessness)
 707 3639
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