Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Tuesday, 16th April 2024 6.00 p.m.

Venue: Morecambe Town Hall

Contact: Liz Bateson, Democratic Support - email  ebateson@lancaster.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

94.

Minutes

To receive as a correct record the minutes of Cabinet held on Thursday 7 March, 2024 (previously circulated). 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 7 March 2024 were approved as a correct record.

 

95.

Items of Urgent Business Authorised by the Leader

To consider any such items authorised by the Leader and to consider where in the agenda the item(s) are to be considered. 

Minutes:

The Chair advised that there were no items of urgent business.

 

96.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

 

Minutes:

The following Councillors declared an interest in Agenda Item 8:   Review of the Consultation on Landlord Licensing and the enforcement of housing standards in the West End of Morecambe.

 

·        Councillor Potter declared an interest in view of her being a private landlord but not with a property in the West End

 

·        Councillor Wilkinson declared an interest in view of him being an HMO landlord but not with a property in the West End

 

·        Councillor Hamilton-Cox declared an interest in view of him being a landlord but not with property in the West End.

 

·        Councillor Ainscough declared an interest in view of her son being in privately rented accommodation in the West End.

97.

Public Speaking

To consider any such requests received in accordance with the approved procedure. 

 

Minutes:

Members were advised that there had been no requests to speak at the meeting in accordance with Cabinet’s agreed procedure.

 

98.

Projects and Performance: Q3 2023-24 pdf icon PDF 346 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hamilton-Cox)

 

Report of Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hamilton-Cox)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Executive to provide an update on performance and projects during Quarter 3 of 2023-24 (October – December 2023).

 

No options were provided as the report was for commenting and noting.  Cabinet welcomed the revisions that officers had made to the presentation of the reports .  It was noted that the range of indicators would be reviewed, and suggestions were made for inclusion in future reports including progress on Whitelund , B&B figures and the inclusion of a project summary.

 

Resolved

 

(1)             That the report be noted.

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

Monitoring of strategic projects and key performance indicators provides a link between the Council Plan 24-27 by providing progress updates.

 

99.

Review of the Consultation on Landlord Licensing and the enforcement of housing standards in the West End of Morecambe. pdf icon PDF 377 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Caroline Jackson)

 

Report of Chief Officer Housing & Property (report published on 12 April 2024). 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Caroline Jackson)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer Housing and Property to review the outcome of the public consultation on the introduction of licensing in a defined area in the West End of Morecambe and make a decision on the approach to enforcement of housing standards.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

Option 1: Do nothing

 

Option 2: Introduce a selective landlord licensing scheme in the West End of Morecambe.

 

Option 3: Update an alternative enforcement approach, build on landlord and tenant engagement and explore the introduction of a Good Landlord Charter.

 

 

Option 1: Do Nothing

Option 2: Introduce a selective landlord licensing scheme in the West End of Morecambe

Option 3: Update an alternative enforcement approach, build on landlord and tenant engagement and explore the introduction of a Good Landlord Charter

Advantages

The council operates a minimum service to meet its statutory obligation. No additional costs

Intelligence gathering will identify all privately rented properties and prepare for the possible introduction of a landlord register.

 

The need for a licence holder will identify a responsible person for each property.

 

All licence holders will have to meet a fit and proper person test.

 

 A properly administered licensing scheme should be cost neutral to the council but deliver positive benefits to the

housing stock and local area.

 

Residents, potential residents and investors will be reassured of the council’s commitment to making improvements to the private rented sector.

 

A licensing scheme would complement existing regeneration programmes.

Intelligence gathering will identify all privately rented properties and prepare for the possible introduction of a landlord register.

 

Not restricted by licensing legislation

 

Targeting of problem properties/landlords rather than blanket approach

 

 Takes into account feedback from the consultation.

 

Avoids risk of contributing to a reduction in supply of housing in the PRS.

Avoids risk of additional costs being passed onto tenants with associated risk of homelessness.

 

Avoids risk of stigmatising the area but promotes positive renting.

 

Consistent with enforcement outside the defined boundary where a landlord owns properties elsewhere in the district.

 

Builds on links and collaboration with responsible landlords

 

 Provides advice and support for tenants and landlords

 

 

Disadvantages

Missed opportunity to use additional powers to improve housing conditions in the West End.

 

Investors interested in Morecambe may not be reassured of the council’s commitment to improvement of the area as a whole.

 

Problems continue to increase

The scheme is restricted to one area. The boundary is not flexible.

 

Licensing is restricted to five years.

 

Administering a licensing scheme might take resources away from supporting landlords and tenants.

 

Targets all landlords irrespective of their history of compliance, so time will be spent licensing good landlords.

 

Risk of alienation of private landlords.

No revenue raised from licensing fees so must be covered by existing resource.

 

Miss out on the opportunity to use additional legal powers from licensing.

 

Membership of a landlord register is currently voluntary,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99.