Minutes:
(Councillor L Bartoli left the meeting at 18:48, and did not return)
It was moved by Councillor L Bones, and seconded by Councillor J Bartoli, who reserved the right to speak, that:
This Council Notes:
· The demand for social housing in North Tyneside has grown significantly, with the Homefinder service now receiving an average of 50 applications per day compared to 20 applications five years ago.
· The previous Conservative Government’s plan to prioritise British nationals and long-term residents in council housing allocations was intended to ensure fairness and restore public confidence in the allocation process.
· The current Labour Government has chosen to abandon this policy, removing the “UK connection test” - a decision that risks further undermining trust in the social housing system and failing to address the concerns of our communities.
Council Believes:
· British nationals and long-term residents who have contributed to the system deserve to be prioritised in social housing allocations.
· The Labour Government’s decision to scrap plans for prioritising British nationals demonstrates a lack of understanding of the concerns faced by residents across North Tyneside who are waiting for social housing allocations.
· A fair, transparent housing allocation system that prioritises those with strong local connections is essential to maintain public trust and community cohesion.
Council Resolves:
To request that the Elected Mayor of North Tyneside write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to:
· Express this council’s disappointment in the Labour Government’s decision to abandon the “UK connection test” and plans to prioritise British nationals and long-term residents in social housing allocations.
· Call on the Government to urgently reconsider this decision and introduce measures to ensure British nationals and long-term residents are given appropriate prioritisation in housing allocation policies.
An amendment was moved by Councillor J Harrison and seconded by Councillor A Newman as follows:
Insert the following text after the second bullet point
· North Tyneside Council Lettings Policy gives priority for housing applications to those with a local connection to the borough and did so long before the previous government introduced the measures.
· The right to rent test means applicants must prove they are eligible to rent housing include immigration status and nationality.
· North Tyneside also has a long tradition of welcoming households who have been at risk of or subjected to actual violence and persecution in their home countries. Several Government funded schemes support the relocation of refugees and asylum seekers. Each scheme has its own criteria, including housing and support arrangements.
· The “UK connection test” has little to no discernible policy impact and that eligibility criteria for social housing is already tightly defined, Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas, as well as those arriving in the country illegally with no leave to remain, will remain ineligible for an allocation of social housing, as they are now.”
Remove the third and fifth bullet point.
Replace “A fair” with “North Tyneside has a fair” on the sixth bullet point.
Insert the following bullet points after the sixth bullet point.
“North Tyneside Council reaffirms its commitment to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine and the brutal Taliban regime in Afghanistan, particularly those who served alongside the British Armed Forces.
The Mayor and Labour Groups plan to build 5000 affordable homes is essential satisfying the demand for homes in the borough.”
Insert the following bullet point after “Council Resolves:”
To request that the Elected Mayor of North Tyneside write all members to remind them of the local connections test which currently exists in North Tyneside Councils lettings policy.
Delete the seventh bullet point.
Amend the eighth bullet point by replacing the text “urgently reconsider this decision and introduce” with the word “clarify”.
The amended Motion therefore read:
This Council Notes:
Council Believes:
Council Resolves:
To request that the Elected Mayor of North Tyneside write all members to remind them of the local connections test which currently exists in North Tyneside Councils lettings policy.
To request that the Elected Mayor of North Tyneside write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to:
· Call on the Government to clarify that measures to ensure British nationals and long-term residents are given appropriate prioritisation in housing are already in place.
Votes for the Amendment:
Councillors T Bailey, Linda Bell, Louise Bell, P Bunyan, B Burdis, B Clark, K Clark, S Cox, J Cruddas, E Darke, L Darke, J Day, S Day, D Drummond, P Earley, S Graham, C Gray, I Grayson, T Hallway, J Harrison, A Holdsworth, J Hunter, N Huscroft, C Johnson, H Johnson, J Kirwin, F Lott, W Lott, L Marshall, A McMullen, J Montague, J Mudzingwa, T Mulvenna, M Murphy, A Newman, K Nott, J O'Shea, S Phillips, B Pickard, N Redfearn, W Samuel, J Sharp, J Shaw, A Spowart, J Walker and J Webster.
Votes against the Amendment:
Councillors J Bartoli, L Bones, J Johnsson, D Lilly, I McAlpine, C McGinty and Dr O Scargill.
The amendment was approved by 46 votes to 7 votes against.
Votes for the Substantive Motion:
Councillors T Bailey, Linda Bell, Louise Bell, P Bunyan, B Burdis, B Clark, K Clark, S Cox, J Cruddas, E Darke, L Darke, J Day, S Day, D Drummond, P Earley, S Graham, C Gray, I Grayson, T Hallway, J Harrison, A Holdsworth, J Hunter, N Huscroft, C Johnson, H Johnson, J Kirwin, F Lott, W Lott, L Marshall, A McMullen, J Montague, J Mudzingwa, T Mulvenna, M Murphy, A Newman, K Nott, J O'Shea, S Phillips, B Pickard, N Redfearn, W Samuel, J Sharp, J Shaw, A Spowart, J Walker and J Webster.
Abstentions:
Councillors J Bartoli, L Bones, J Johnsson, D Lilly, I McAlpine, C McGinty and Dr O Scargill.
The Substantive Motion was approved by 46 votes with 7 abstentions.