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Review of Planning Policy and Licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation

Meeting: 13/07/2022 - Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet (Item 15)

15 Review of Planning Policy and Licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation pdf icon PDF 352 KB

Report of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet members: Councillors Alan Shuttleworth and Colin Swansborough

Additional documents:

Decision:

(Non-key decision):

 

(1) To note the issues and implications associated with the potential courses of action identified in this report relating to the review of planning policy and licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation and selective licensing of other private sector residential properties

 

(2) To seek approval to commission robust evidence to fully underpin future strategies to manage and tackle Houses in Multiple Occupation and other private sector residential properties in the town and to allocate £25,000 to enable this to happen.

 

(3) To note the Scrutiny Committee’s request that the consultants commissioned to provide robust evidence to support and justify any future decisions on action regarding HMO planning policy and licensing provide an interim update to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

 

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning, providing an update on a review of planning policy and licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

 

Cabinet expressed its thanks to Lisa Rawlinson, Strategy & Partnership Lead (Growth & Prosperity) for her work already undertaken on the subject.

 

Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 11 July 2022, supported the officer recommendations to Cabinet. They also requested the following item to be added to the Committee’s work programme.

 

(1)  That the consultants commissioned to provide robust evidence to support and justify any future decisions on action regarding HMO planning policy and licensing shall provide an interim update to the Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 November 2022

 

The Cabinet noted the request from Scrutiny Committee, and whilst preferrable for an update to be reported in November, until further details and a timescale was established, it would be more appropriate for a commitment to provide an update to Scrutiny Committee but not to confirm a date of which meeting at this stage.

 

Visiting member, Councillor Lamb, addressed the Cabinet on this item.

 

Resolved (Non-key decision):

 

(1) To note the issues and implications associated with the potential courses of action identified in this report relating to the review of planning policy and licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation and selective licensing of other private sector residential properties

 

(2) To seek approval to commission robust evidence to fully underpin future strategies to manage and tackle Houses in Multiple Occupation and other private sector residential properties in the town and to allocate £25,000 to enable this to happen.

 

(3) To note the Scrutiny Committee’s request that the consultants commissioned to provide robust evidence to support and justify any future decisions on action regarding HMO planning policy and licensing provide an interim update to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

 

Reason for decisions:

 

(1) To enable a full understanding of the current situation regarding HMOs and other private sector residential properties in the town, including future need and impacts on local communities.

 

(2) To provide evidenced justification for any future decisions relating to local plan policy and additional or selective licensing schemes for HMOs and other private sector residential properties.