Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Place, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 11.

The report supported the Council’s ambition to drive better standards in private sector homes for residents which supports the Adur and Worthing Housing Strategy for 2020-2023, ‘Enabling Communities to Thrive in their Own Homes’.

The proposal contained in the report was to develop a selective licensing scheme to enable a more proactive approach to target areas of greatest need and work with private sector landlords to drive better standards.

Decision

1.     That the contents of the report be noted and it be agreed to commence a public consultation on the introduction of a selective licensing scheme within Worthing.

2.     That Director for Housing and Communities be delegated, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Citizen Services, to:

a.     Scope out a fully costed selective licensing scheme in Worthing as set out in this report relating to Heene, Central and Selden Wards,

b.     Subject to this proposal being cost neutral and viable as approved by the Council’s Chief Finance Officer, officers to develop and deliver the consultation process

c.     subject to this scheme being determined as viable, to report back to this committee following the consultation for further consideration and authority to proceed in principle with an application to the Secretary of State to implement the scheme subject to Full Council approval.

Call-in

The call-in deadline for the decisions will be 5.00pm on 26 March 2024.