Decision details

The Portfolio Holder AGREED to the following policy changes:

1. To stop selling homes from the rented stock as equity share other than those designated for this purpose by the Council e.g. where properties are being sold as shared ownership as part of a refurbishment project.

2. To encourage and facilitate applicants with the necessary financial resources to buy from the available pool of existing equity share properties for sale. This will include properties that have been bought back by the Council and those properties that are for sale directly by existing equity shareholders.

3. If applicants have a need to be in a particular village they may bid for a property using the Homelink Choice Based Lettings route and will be assessed in accordance with Homelink policies. The existing lettings policy already has conditions that limit the chances of those who have the resources to access open market housing from being granted a social rented tenancy.

4. Successful bidders will only be allowed to rent a property they have successfully bid on if there are no equity share properties that they are able to buy currently for sale in that village or the nearby villages.

This policy will come into effect as soon as practically possible and no later than 1 April 2012.