Issue - meetings

Councillor Westley submits a report that proposes a scheme for proving loans to private homeowners to make homes decent. Cabinet is asked to approve the recommendations set out in Paragraph 3 of the report.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Westley submitted a report that proposed a scheme for providing loans to private homeowners to make homes decent.

RESOLVED:

                        that Cabinet agrees:

1)     that the current policy of prioritising investment in Home Improvement Areas continues.  The Home Improvement areas are: Swainson Road, Abbey Lane North, Windsor Avenue North, Halifax Drive and Belgrave Village;

2)     that the Council introduce a new system of offering ‘affordable’ loans and/or grants to homeowners in order to achieve Decent Homes;

3)     that the general policy for offering assistance through Decent Home Loans is as set out in Appendix A of the report, and the Divisional Director, Housing Strategy & Options, is given delegated authority, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Housing, to amend the details of the policy in response to outcomes and changing conditions;

4)     that the loan products to be made available are as described in Appendix B of the report;

5)     that the scheme is publicised as the “East Midlands Regional Loan Fund: Administered by Leicester City Council”;

6)     that loans to make homes decent are made available to owners of suitable empty homes that agree to lease their empty properties to “Home Come”. The loans will be repayable over the five years of the lease;

7)     that whilst the above recommendations described discretionary services to be provided by the Council in general, all valid applications will be considered on their individual circumstance and merit. In exceptional cases the Divisional Director, Housing Strategy & Options, to have delegated authority to approve applications outside of the general policy;

8)     that the Council withdraws ‘Renewal Services’ in the following renewal areas, where a high level of improvement has already been achieved; Evington Valley Renewal Area ph2; New Humberstone non-statutory Renewal Area; and St Saviours non-statutory Renewal Area.