The Home Choice and Strategy Team Leader introduced their report, with particular focus given to the following points:

• The report summarised the consultation process which had taken place for 8 weeks from mid-November;

• Kent County Council, the Citizens Advice Bureau and all relevant stakeholders were consulted during this process; and

• Following the report, the 840 households currently on the housing register would be notified of their new banding, in effect from 01 April 2020.

In response to Member’s questions, the Team Leader confirmed that Band R – Reasonable Preference, fulfilled the Council’s statutory requirements within Section 6 of the Housing Act 1996. The term ‘Reasonable’ had been chosen to include the multitude of situations which Householders may have faced in being placed on the housing register.

It was confirmed that the Pet Policy provisions were covered by the Temporary Housing Strategy rather than the Housing Allocation Scheme.

RESOLVED: That;

1. The Committee agrees the proposed changes to the Council’s Allocation Scheme as stated in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.11 of this report; and

2. In accordance with the paragraph 24.2 of the Allocation Scheme, that the Committee agrees to amend the quota of the percentage of properties allocated to each band to those stated in paragraph 3.8 of this report.