Have your say on the way social housing is allocated in West Northants
19 July 2023
People are being invited to have their say on proposals for how social housing will be allocated across West Northamptonshire from spring next year.
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is currently seeking views on its new draft Housing Allocation Scheme, which is due to be implemented on 1 April 2024.
There are currently three housing allocation schemes that operate in West Northamptonshire covering the Daventry, South Northants, and Northampton areas. The existing policies operate in different ways to each other, therefore introducing a West Northamptonshire Housing Allocation Scheme will harmonise these differences making it fairer, clearer and more consistent across the West Northamptonshire area.
Residents, tenants and housing associations are among those being encouraged to give their feedback on these proposals as part of a 10-week consultation starting today (19 July) and running until midnight on Tuesday, 26 September.
All responses will be considered and will help to shape a final version of the scheme to then be considered by West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet this autumn. To view the draft proposals and complete the online questionnaire, visit the WNC Consultation Hub.
The new draft housing allocation scheme sets out proposals for who would be eligible and could apply for social housing across the whole of West Northamptonshire, along with how the Council processes applications, assesses and manages people’s housing needs, and determines who should have priority for social housing.
Plans include expanding the Choice Based Lettings approach to allocating social housing across the whole West Northants area, which is already used in the Daventry and Northampton areas. Choice based lettings allows applicants to register an interest in properties they prefer that are suitable for their household size.
Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: “The way we allocate housing is vital in helping us to support the needs and welfare of our residents, so it’s really important we shape the best scheme possible for our communities.
“By harmonising our existing Housing Allocations policies, we ensure a fairer and more efficient service for people across the whole West Northants area and provide an opportunity to better match the local needs with suitable housing and use our resources as effectively as possible.
“We value the views of our residents and stakeholders and would encourage anyone with an interest in housing issues to view the policy and complete our online survey.”
The consultation will last 10 weeks and residents can take part in the following ways:
- Complete the online survey
- Call us on 01327 322175
- Email: [email protected]
- Write to: Housing Allocations Consultation 2023, West Northamptonshire Council, The Guildhall, St Giles' Square, Northampton NN1 1DE
To request the consultation document in an alternative format, please email [email protected] or call 01327 322175.