Dorset Council is drafting a new policy looking at how people access social housing in the area.
The new policy, that will come into effect on 1 April 2021, will:
- Offer people seeking accommodation a choice about where they live
- Be fair and easy to use
- Offer solutions to those most in need while making the best use of the housing stock available
It will replace the Christchurch and East Dorset Joint Housing Allocation Policy and the Dorset Homechoice Common Allocation Policy.
The policy proposes some changes that might affect people currently on the housing register in Dorset.
Much of the content of the policy is set by law, but there are some key areas which the council can decide, such as:
- who can apply to be on the register
- how to prioritise applications
- how many bedrooms to allocate to a household
- how to support homelessness applications
In completing this first draft the council created a cross party elected member panel from all the former district council areas. The panel looked at all the current policies as well as best practice from across the country to create this draft version.
Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Safety at Dorset Council said:
“We’re asking people what they think about our new housing allocation policy.
“We’d like to hear from as many people as possible, so we get a wide range of views.
“If you are currently on the housing register this policy affects you, so please do take a bit of time to have a look and think about what this might mean for you.
“Your feedback will help shape the final version of the new Homechoice Dorset policy.”
Find out more and complete our survey
The consultation is now live and runs until 20 July 2020
Paper copies of the survey are available call 01305 221000 to have one posted to you.
Why are we introducing a new policy?
Applications for social housing in Dorset are currently being decided under the old council geographical boundaries that were present before 1 April 2019.
As part of local government reorganisation (LGR) central Government agreed a period of two years to put in place new housing allocation policies for Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole Council and Dorset Council. These policies must come into effect on 1 April 2021.
No changes to how applicants apply for social housing or the criteria to decide a local connection will come into effect before 1 April 2021.
I was until recently homeless in Dorset and I am also a parish councillor.
The process of dealing with homeless people in Dorset is to place them in B&B in either Weymouth or BCP area. (lots of winter B&B accommodation) Problem is when you are put on the housing list you meet a big wall, the rates for a one bed accommodation in North Dorset for a single person over 35 is £425 the cheapest rent in Gillingham where my children are located is £525-£550 with deposits and guarantors requires in most cases. So that option was out, I waited for any social housing. (emergency band after a set period of time) This is where i have a problem I was very lucky to get a 1 bed flat in Gillingham but there is no provision for newbuilds to make one bed accommodational in the schemes currently being put forward, and in Bourton for which i am a parish councillor there is 1 property with 1 bed that is not an 55+ which means that local younger people cannot find any start up accommodation and what is offered in private accommodation are annexes or garage conversions with little access to parking or children being able to stay over, also when the children leave the nest so to speak some under 55s might be willing to down size if they have a decent place to go to in the same village or town. I have also noted that a lot of town single living accommodation is grouped in old building conversions with the element of some antisocial people in society makes living there feel unpleasant and stressful.
In conclusion i think that in any development in rural areas of over 6 homes provision for single bed accommodation should be included and in town developments a 5 to 7% provision in any greater estates but with the housing dispersed through out the development so as to encourage social cohesion.