Birmingham Local Conservatives have welcomed cross-party support for their amendment to strengthen the Liberal Democrat motion on Supported Exempt Accommodation, saying it marks another important step in the campaign they have led for years to tackle the impact of poorly managed exempt accommodation on Birmingham communities.
The Liberal Democrats’ decision to bring the issue back before Full Council is welcome, but Conservative councillors said their amendment ensures the Council is not simply waiting for Government action and that the new Administration cannot use national delays as an excuse for inaction. The Local Conservatives amendment calling for tougher action including the buying up of exempt accommodation and conversion back into much needed family housing for sale was backed by all parties on the City Council except Reform who instead abstained.
It commits the Council to preparing now so Birmingham is ready to act as soon as new powers become available, alongside taking further action under existing local powers. The amendment builds on the motion by adding commitments including preparing an Article 4 Direction for any future planning use class, strengthening planning enforcement, reviewing the Council’s property acquisition strategy, and exploring opportunities to return poorly managed exempt accommodation back to family housing.
Councillor Gareth Moore (Con, Erdington), who moved the amendment said:
“We are pleased that the Council have backed our longstanding calls for action and have recognition of the urgent need to tackle the problems caused by the concentration of exempt accommodation in many Birmingham communities.
“Local Conservatives have led the calls for action on exempt accommodation for well over a decade. We have consistently campaigned for stronger planning powers, better regulation, tougher enforcement and action to stop communities being overwhelmed.
“It is welcome that the Liberal Democrats have listened to our campaigns and brought this issue back before the Council to highlight the need for change. However, our amendment was vital to make the motion stronger by ensuring Birmingham does not simply wait for Government to act.
“If Ministers introduce the planning and regulatory powers we have long argued for, Birmingham must be ready to implement them from day one. That means preparing the necessary planning framework now, ensuring enforcement teams are properly resourced, and putting the Council in the strongest possible position to use those powers immediately.”
Councillor Robert Alden (Con, Erdington) Leader of the Conservative Group said:
“Our amendment also calls for a review of the Council’s approach to acquiring family homes and explores ways to bring poorly managed exempt accommodation back into family use where appropriate. These are practical, local measures that demonstrate Birmingham can do more while continuing to press Government for the additional powers we need.
“This is an issue that has affected communities across Birmingham for far too long. We are pleased councillors from all parties have supported these strengthened proposals but the Council now needs to move beyond words and be ready to deliver real change.”
The Conservative amendment also reinforces calls for Government to introduce a dedicated planning use class for Supported Exempt Accommodation, require planning permission for new exempt accommodation, strengthen local planning and enforcement powers, and improve information sharing between the Department for Work and Pensions, councils and the police.
The Conservative amendment, which was agreed called for the following additional actions:
- Calls on the Secretary of State to instruct DWP to share information with councils and the police to allow more effective identification and prevention of criminal activity and fraud.
Council further calls on the Executive to:
- ensure readiness for day one of implementation of each one of the reforms within the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act and engage with Overview and Scrutiny on this.
- prepare an Article 4 Directive (or amendment of the current one covering HMOs) to be ready in the event that government agrees to a new planning class for exempt accommodation to ensure changes of use cannot be made under permitted development rights without planning permission
- ensure that planning enforcement receives the funding needed to crack down and take action against exempt accommodation uses which do require planning permission and this has not been obtained
- Call on the Executive to review the Council’s property acquisition strategy, implemented by the previous Administration, to ensure that family homes are not removed from the market for use as HMOs or exempt accommodation
- Call on the Executive to explore opportunities to buy up exempt accommodation or badly run HMOs to convert back to family homes and sell back on the open market as private family dwellings with protective covenants to prevent changes back in the future
