Purpose

This housing allocation policy sets out how The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) assesses applications for permanent social housing, prioritises these applications and how decisions are made to allocate available housing stock. RBWM is not a stock holding local authority. All permanent social housing within the borough is owned and managed by registered providers (housing associations). These are entirely separate organisations to RBWM. RBWM’s access to the social housing owned by these organisations is specified in a formal nominations’ agreement between the borough and the individual housing associations. In general terms, RBWM has access to a proportion of the lettings which become available in the housing associations stock located within the borough. There is a severe disparity between the demand for permanent social housing and its available supply. RBWM receives far more enquiries from households seeking social housing than the numbers which are likely to gain access to this type of accommodation. The main purpose of this scheme is therefore to set out the basis on which nominations to permanent social housing are made and how properties are allocated.

Decision

AGREED: That Cabinet noted the report and:

i)             Adopted the new social housing allocation policy as consulted upon except for the proposed changes to the income and saving levels.

ii)            With respect to savings and income levels, retained the saving limit of the current policy and suspend the income qualifications for 2025/26.

iii)           Modelled the effects of the proposed savings and income levels and during 2025/26 and return to Cabinet no later than May 2026 with findings and proposals.

iv)           Delegated to the Assistant Director for Housing and Public Protection the task of introducing the new policy.