Issue - meetings

Background:

The report introduced the draft Housing Allocations Policy 2025 which replaced the current Housing Allocations Policy, last reviewed in 2019. The Housing Allocations Policy set out how Medway Council allocated available social housing stock in the Medway area, as well as who was able to access the housing register. A summary of changes to the policy was set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Draft Housing Allocations Policy had been developed in line with the Council Plan and set out the Council’s contribution to meeting the aims of the Council Plan with respect to Housing. Approval of the Allocations Policy was a matter for Cabinet.

In line with Part Vl of the Housing Act 1996, it is a requirement for Local Authorities to follow statutory guidance when setting out a policy for how social housing will be allocated. This must have regard to the Local Authorities’ own Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Strategies.

The report had previously been considered by the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 14 August 2025 and the Cabinet thanked the Committee for its comments which were set out in section 6 of the report.

Reasons:

The Housing Allocations Policy is a statutory document and adopting the

revised policy will ensure that it remains up to date and is able to respond to

pressures locally.