Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2021

b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2021 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

To consider the above petition bearing 136 signatures which is being
supported by Councillor M Heaven, a Wainbody Ward Councillor, who has
been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the
petition organiser

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which responded to a petition that requested a ban on Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in Moreall Meadows estates. 

The petition bearing 137 signatures was submitted on 7 September 2021 and was sponsored by Councillor M Heaven, a Wainbody Ward Councillor. Councillor Heaven and the petition organiser attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the petition. Councillors J Blundell and T Sawdon, also Wainbody Ward Councillors attended the meeting and spoke in respect of their concerns about HMOs in the area.

 The petition was as follows:

“We the undersigned petition to ban the licensing of any HOMs in the Moreall Meadows estates which covers Moreall Meadows, The Arboretum, Russet Grove, Cassandra Close, Poppyfield Court and Heritage Court.

The area already has a restrictive covenant that has been placed on the development area by the land deed agreement which was dated 27 March 1997 between David Wilson, developer and the private owners and Coventry Council. The tile number of WM44722. The restrictive covenant means that all houses must be occupied by single households and is supposed to last for 80 years before they would then be expired. The Blanket Banned HMO proposal would cover Moreall Meadows, The Arboretum, Russet Grove, Cassandra Close, Poppyfield Court and Heritage Court”.

The petition organiser read a statement that focused on the restricted covenant that was the subject of the petition. She also spoke of the residents’ concerns over a particular HMO in the area. All three Ward Councillors spoke in support of the petition and their concerns in relation to the problems caused by HMOs in the area such as people, taxis and deliveries coming and going all hours of the day and night. In addition, they referenced case law in relation to HMOs and requested that the Cabinet Member consider expediting the introduction of Article 4 Direction at the earliest opportunity.

The licensing of HMOs is undertaken in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 legislation (the Act) which provides for the Council to administer Mandatory Licensing (a national scheme covering larger HMOs) and Additional Licensing (a discretionary scheme which requires other types of HMOs to be licensed where the Council has designated such a scheme). Additional Licensing came into force in Coventry on 4 May 2020.

Section 64 of the Act places a duty on the Council to either grant or refuse a HMO licence where an application for such a licence is made to the Council. Under Section 64 (2) and (3), the Council must grant a licence where it is satisfied that the house is reasonable suitable for occupation by not more than the maximum number of households being requested and the persons involved in the licence and the management of the HMO are fit and proper persons.

If these tests of suitability are met, the Council has a duty to grant a licence and failure to do so could result in the Council acting ‘ultra  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of business.