Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

The Cabinet Member was invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests she might have in the business on the agenda.

No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 27 September 2011.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the last Decision Session of the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services, held on 27 September 2011, be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Monday 24October 2011.

Members of the public may register to speak on:-

• an item on the agenda;
• an issue within the Cabinet Member’s remit;

·         an item that has been published on the Information Log since the last session. Information reports are listed at the end of the agenda

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

The government are consulting on proposals to strengthen the sanction social landlords have to evict tenants who have committed serious anti social behaviour (ASB). The report provides a response to the government’s proposals and invites the Cabinet Member to endorse and comment on these proposals

RESOLVED:       That the Cabinet Member endorses the  response at Annex 1 of the report to the consultation document on the new mandatory power of possession for anti-social behaviour.

REASON:            To offer City of York Council’s views on the consultation paper.

The Cabinet Member considered a report which set out details of consultations being undertaken by the government on proposals to strengthen the sanction social landlords’ had to evict tenants who had committed serious anti-social behaviour (ASB).

It was reported that the main changes proposed were:

·        Courts could grant possession where a tenant or member of their household had been convicted of violence against property, violence against persons at a scene of violent disorder or theft linked to violent disorder. There would be no requirement that the offence had been committed within the locality of the dwelling house.

·        Power to evict for serious, housing related anti-social behaviour proven by another court.

·        Powers limiting the court to suspend a possession order.

Officers confirmed that the most controversial element of the proposals were the widening of existing powers to apply for repossession on issues of ASB and criminality that had not necessarily happened in the locality of the tenants residence. Officers pointed out that, although these powers were a welcome addition, they would only be used as a final resort with less punitive measures being used to try and resolve problems.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that she welcomed the new powers but requested that any action taken should be proportional and take account of its impact on families.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:       That the Cabinet Member endorses the  response at Annex 1 of the report to the consultation document on the new mandatory power of possession for anti-social behaviour. ^1.

REASON:            To offer City of York Council’s views on the consultation paper.