Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of personal interest.

RESOLVED that the decision record of the meeting held on the 11^th September, 2023 be signed as a correct record.

(NOTE: S. Fell and T. Rees from the Bro Myrddin Housing Association were present for consideration of this item)

The Cabinet Member considered a report on proposals to introduce a Local Lettings Policy (LLP) for the Bro Myrddin Housing Association’s new build development of 24 dwellings in Clos Felingoed, Llandybie, Ammanford.

The application of the LLP, in accordance with section 167(2E) of the 1996 Housing Act, was an adjustment to the Authority’s main lettings policy whereby additional criteria would be applied to take account of current housing need and local issues.  Specifically, the LLP aimed to provide accommodation solutions for local people in most need, to move people on quickly from temporary accommodation and back to their community, provide homes for key workers and to facilitate the creation of a balanced and sustainable community.

In reviewing the LLP, an overview of the prioritisation allocation was provided to the Cabinet Member, and it was clarified that a mix of tenants across the bands would be applied to enable the community to be made up of an assortment of households, not all of which were classified as high need cases.  In this regard the aim was to establish community cohesion and sustainable homes for the new development seeing a brand-new community coming together.

The LLP would remain in place for a period of six months following all homes being let, following which a review would be undertaken by Bro Myrddin to determine its impact on the community and ensure that the policy aims had been met.  This assessment would inform whether the term should be extended.

RESOLVED that the proposed Local Lettings Policy for the new homes on Bro Myrddin Housing Association’s new build development at Clos Feligoed, Llandybie, Ammanford be approved.

The Cabinet Member considered a report to confirm the weekly rent increase for the Penybryn Gypsy/Traveller site for the 2024/24 financial year.

The Cabinet Member was informed that the Gypsy and Travellers’ site was a Council Tax funded service and there were currently 15 plots on the Penybryn site. While all Local Authorities and Housing Associations in Wales had aligned themselves to the social housing rents policy in relation to rental levels for social housing, the Penybryn site did not form part of the Housing Revenue Account, and so rental levels charged were not governed by the Welsh Government’s rents policy. However, it was considered fair and reasonable for rents at the site to be increased by the same formula applied to Council tenants. For the financial year 2024/25, that would be a 6.5% increase and it was recommended that the weekly rental levels for 2024/25 be set at £65.97 per week (net of service charges and water rates) providing an annual income of £48,488 for 2024/25, if all 15 pitches were occupied throughout the year.

RESOLVED: