Issue - meetings

Questions by the Public

 

 

Meeting: 25/11/2013 - City Council (Item 61)

QUESTIONS BY THE PUBLIC

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which are about something the council is responsible for or something that directly affects people in the city, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution.

 

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Civic Centre, Plymouth, PL1 2AA, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five complete working days before the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

One question had been received from a member of the public in relation to a matter which, in the opinion of the Lord Mayor, was relevant to the business of the meeting in accordance with paragraph 10 of the constitution.

 

Mr Williams attended the meeting and Councillor Penberthy responded as set out below -

 

 

Question No

Question By

Cabinet Member

Subject

Q12/13-14

Mr John Williams

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Co-operatives and Community Development)

 

Evictions for rent arrears

The Labour Leader of Renfrewshire Council has pledged that no tenant of his Authority will be evicted for rent arrears directly arising from the Under Occupancy Penalty, provided the Authority is apprised of the full circumstances.  Why does this Authority not request Plymouth Community Homes to adopt a similar policy? 

 

Response:

We have asked them and Plymouth Community Homes has said, like all other Housing Associations in Plymouth, that they will not commit to such a policy for a number of reasons including:

 

·         Such a policy would be impractical – wider welfare reforms make it hard to tell whether applicants have fallen into arrears as a result of the bedroom tax or because of other reasons (this is substantiated by data provided by Plymouth Community Homes that indicates that where under-occupiers are in rent arrears at this time, 90% were already in arrears prior to the bedroom tax being introduced).

·         That it would be unfair to other tenants to introduce a ‘no eviction’ policy for under-occupiers, when other tenants who fall into arrears will continue to have eviction action taken against them.

·         It gives the wrong message - tenants perceptions of a ‘no eviction’ policy may result in them not prioritising rent payments where they would otherwise have made them, because they’re aware that no action will be taken against them.

·         The impact of reduced income for Housing Associations could result in them being unable to secure new funding to build new homes (a Council priority) and at worst could result in instability for the organisation that would be unsustainable in the longer term.

 

PCC is not a landlord and can’t instruct housing associations like PCH to follow any particular course of action.  This does not mean that Housing Associations are not strongly committed to working in partnership with the City Council to mitigate the significant problems that the bedroom tax and other welfare reforms are causing the citizens of Plymouth, and to prevent evictions wherever possible. 

 

A number of them – including Plymouth Community Homes - have employed dedicated staff to support tenants to downsize and help them to develop budgeting skills as well as access the available hardship funds.

 

This positive work is underpinned by initiatives introduced by Plymouth City Council that include:-

 

·         Use of the Discretionary Housing Payments scheme to enable tenants in difficulty to meet rent payments when housing benefit has been reduced due to under-occupation.

·         Easy and local access to welfare rights advisors, debt advice and budgeting skills workshops which has so far helped local people claim  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61