Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Whitaker and Hughes.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6^th March 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no additional items of business to be considered. 

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to any item on the agenda, in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members were reminded of the need to consider any potential pecuniary interest in Item 9, Article 4 Direction: Houses in Multiple Occupation, if they were landlords of properties within the 9 wards specified within the report. 

There were no declarations of interest on any of the items on the agenda.

To determine during which items, if any, the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

Exclusion of press and public was as set out on the agenda.

To consider questions, statements or petitions from Members of the Public.

No questions, statements or petitions had been received from members of the public.

To consider the list of future Key Decisions.

Members were asked to note the Notice of Key Decisions and Private Meetings (NKDPM) published on 6^th March 2024, and also to note the additional notices published on 6^th March and 20^th March. 

RESOLVED – That the NKDPM of 6^th March 2024, and the additional notices of 6^th and 20^th March be noted.

To consider a report on additional Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 (LAHF R3) for Temporary Accommodation.

A report which sought approval from the Council’s Executive to accept the additional £134,800 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to deliver a further two homes for continued use as temporary accommodation. 

Clarification was provided on the number of properties in each round, along with how many are occupied and how many were being renovated.  There was currently no indication of any further rounds. 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report on Article 4 Direction: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

A report was submitted which provided the results of the consultation on the proposed Article 4 Direction, undertaken in October/November 2023, and sought approval from the Council’s Executive to confirm the Article 4 Direction which would remove the permitted development rights for the change of use from Use Class C3 (dwelling houses) to Use Class C4 (Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO)) in nine wards of the borough, namely Trinity, Bank Hall, Daneshouse with Stoneyholme, Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, Gannow, Gawthorpe, Queensgate, Brunshaw, and Rosehill with Burnley Wood.  If confirmed, the Direction would become effective on 14^th October 2024.

Overall the Committee welcomed the Article 4 Direction. 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive an update on the work of any active Scrutiny Review Groups.

No updates were provided as there were no active Scrutiny Review Groups. 

To consider any amendments to the Work Programme for 2023/24.

The Committee received the updated work programme for 2023/2024.    

RESOLVED – That the updated work programme for 2023/24 be noted.