WAVERLEY Council looks set to change its policy for allocating council homes after the housing waiting list in the borough became swamped by applicants with little or no connection with the area. There are currently more than 2,200 applicants on the housing register. The number of new applicants each month has almost doubled since January 2003 when the policy was revised in line with the Homelessness Act of 2002, which removed any requirement for a local connection. In order to cope with the situation and restore priority for local people, revisions to the points system used for allocating homes are set to be considered by Waverley's community overview and scrutiny committee on Monday. Changes are proposed to give greater priority to people with a connection to Waverley and those who struggle financially. Changes are also proposed to give more consideration to homeless or transfer applicants. The revised policy would increase the points given for those living or working in the borough from 25 to 50. Those with a strong family connection to Waverley would be given 20 points instead of 10. The revised policy would also consider the applicant's financial circumstances. A hundred points would be subtracted if applicants had sufficient resources to purchase property in the private sector or through the council and housing association's shared ownership schemes. The same number of points would be subtracted if applicants could dispose of an asset which would reasonably finance their own accommodation or have done so in the previous five years. The new system would also pay more attention to certain groups. "The revised policy gives some additional priority to certain categories of applicant that under the current system are not given the necessary priority," the report to the committee outlines. "Among these are some homeless applicants and transfer applicants, but adjustments will be proportionate to ensure that no one group is unduly advantaged or disadvantaged." A scheme under which the council houses elderly owner-occupiers who haven't the buying power to purchase accommodation more suitable to their needs, but charges them a higher rent, will be discontinued and the additional rent to existing tenants reduced over time. The change is proposed in view of the fact that other applicants, whether elderly or otherwise, with savings or assets, can be housed without an additional rental charge. Waverley's chief housing officer, David January, explained that the council does review its allocation policy from time to time to make sure that it is fair and as equitable as possible to all the different groups that apply for housing. "These revisions to the policy award additional priority to local applicants in housing need as from 2002 anyone can apply to Waverley for housing," said Mr January. "We are also adjusting transfer and homeless priorities by awarding additional points and there are a number of very detailed adjustments to the points and policy. "These refinements will not of themselves produce more housing but they will ensure that the relative priorities of general applicants, homeless and transfers are as fair as we can get them. "At the same time the council is working hard with registered social landlords to provide these much-needed new homes for those in need in the borough."
