Minutes:
Report: See pages 88-89 of the main agenda
Councillor Anood Al-Samerai, seconded by Councillor Linda Manchester, moved the motion.
Councillor Claire Hickson, seconded by Councillor Dan Garfield, moved Amendment B.
Councillor Paul Noblet, seconded by Councillor Tim McNally, moved Amendment C.
Following debate (Councillor Ian Wingfield, Nick Stanton and Stephen Govier), the bell was rang and the Mayor announced that the guillotine had fallen at 10.04pm.
Amendment B was put to the vote and declared to be carried. As a consequence the first part of Amendment C relating to paragraph 5 of the motion fell.
Revised Amendment C was put to the vote and declared to be lost.
The substantive motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.
RESOLVED:
1. That council assembly regrets that too many families have been forced into often poor quality private rented accommodation by the failure over the past 25 years to build sufficient affordable social housing.
2. That council assembly notes the ever increasing and unsustainable housing benefit bill and the notes government’s plans to tackle this.
3. That council assembly notes that plans to reform housing benefit were also in the Labour manifesto and notes the Mayor of London's comments that this would lead to "Kosovo style social cleansing".
4. That council assembly notes the concern of many residents about the proposed changes to social housing tenures and to some of the proposed changes to housing benefit.
5. That council assembly notes the impact on Southwark of these changes are likely that:
· The reduction of the local housing allowance in October 2011 leads to households losing as much as £57.53 a week, and this could lead to nearly 5,000 private sector tenants looking for council accommodation
· This reduction widens over following years as the indexation of housing benefit shifts from the retail price index to the typically lower consumer price index
· The reduction is further compounded by the penalisation of those who have been unable to find employment for a year
· This reduction is further compounded by deductions for non-dependents who still live in the home, the deductions being introduced despite increasing barriers to entry to the housing market for young people
· Demand for housing in Southwark increases markedly as housing benefit claimants are forced to leave even more expensive parts of London like Westminster and Camden.
6. That council assembly believes that it is inconceivable that these changes will not lead to repossessions, homelessness and enforced home moves in Southwark, as the number of homes that are affordable for residents living on housing benefits decreases and the number of people competing for those homes increases.
7. That council assembly expresses particular concern that new tenants will not be offered traditional secure tenancies which provide stability, support family networks and can improve social cohesion.
8. That council also expresses its concern that the government grants to build future affordable homes are to be cut by some 50%.
9. That council assembly fully supports the rights of secure tenants to live in their council home for as long as they wish, but believes the council should look at new ways of tackling under-occupancy of homes to make better use of existing council stock.
10. That council assembly believes that government’s aims to tackle high rents charged by private landlords through a reduction in the local housing allowance may harm families rather than unscrupulous landlords.
11. That council assembly calls on the cabinet to investigate whether rent capping in the private rented sector could be a positive way of achieving the government’s aim of reducing the overall housing benefit bill.
12. That whilst council assembly supports the principle that people should work if they are able, members are concerned that in light of the current economic climate and employment market the government should rethink plans to reduce by 10% housing benefit for those claiming jobseekers allowance for more than 12 months.
13. That council assembly calls on the cabinet to write to government to:
· oppose the changes to secure tenancies
· oppose plans to measure local housing allowance at the 30th percentile rather than the median
· oppose plans to remove 10% of housing benefit from those who have been claiming jobseekers allowance for more than 12 months given the current state of the employment market
· support a housing benefit solution for London, as suggested by Simon Hughes MP, which understands the particular needs and market in London
· investigate the possibility of land value taxation or introducing rent control in some parts of the private rented sector
· fulfil promises of allowing local authorities to make their own decisions about new housing and rents for new and existing tenancies
· co-ordinate a cross party response to the government’s housing consultation.
14. That council assembly calls upon all of Southwark's MPs to oppose the proposed changes to secure tenancies, the change in the local housing allowance measure and to specifically vote against the proposal to cut housing benefit by 10% after a year of unemployment when the Bill comes before the House of Commons.
Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.