Issue - meetings

The Residential Tenancy Policy sets out how Council owned social rented homes will be operated and managed by the Council.  The policy includes a range of customer facing policies and statements relating to tenure, payments, repairs and maintenance, anti-social behaviour, evictions, complaints policy and data protection.

(Note: At this point Cllr Dine Romero returned to the meeting).

Cllr Tom Davies introduced the report and made the following statement:

“In 2019 we all made a commitment to the residents of Bath & North East Somerset - a commitment that we as a LibDem administration would build the first general needs Council Houses in our area for a generation.

Under the resulting B&NES Homes programme - this LibDem administration has ensured that the Council has played a direct role in the delivery of housing to our residents - with an initial focus on supported housing programmes, this winter we will be opening our first general needs Council Houses at 117 Newbridge Hill. These will be at social rent levels which are typically between 50 and 60% of market rent.

These first seven units are the first council houses for a generation and never has the need for social housing been as great as it is today. Our area is one of the least affordable in the country and with rents increasing, it will come as no surprise that today we have approximately 6,000 households on the Council’s waiting list for social housing with, on average, only 500-600 properties becoming vacant each year.

The first seven units at Newbridge Hill form just the start of our ambitious programme of delivery under our B&NES Homes programme - indeed Councillors were updated at the latest Climate Emergency scrutiny meeting of our pipeline of properties which is now nearly 200 in volume when Midland Road and Bath Western Riverside sites are included.

Tonight, in front of us is the Residential Tenancy Policy which underpins how we as a Council will operate and manage our own social housing properties from when the first properties open this winter.

As a Council we aspire to be an exemplary Landlord and the Policy includes a range of customer facing policies and statements relating to tenure, payments, repairs and maintenance, anti-social behaviour, and complaints. The policy follows established custom and practice in the social housing sector.

And so colleagues, as we approach the opening our first properties, I would like to pass my thanks on to the Officers who have worked so hard to not only produce this Policy but who have brought us to this exciting stage of the B&NES Homes programme and I hope that you will join me in supporting the adoption of this Residential Tenancy Policy and I move the recommendation to do so as requested in 2.1.”

Cllr Tim Ball seconded the motion stating that he is pleased to see that the Cabinet has delivered new Council properties.  He hoped that the Council would provide excellent service going forward.

RESOLVED (unanimously):  To adopt the Residential Tenancy Policy attached as Appendix 1 to the report.