Decision details

It was proposed by Councillor Fenner and seconded by Councillor Campbell:

“Thanet District Council commits to protecting tenants from the Bedroom Tax in the following ways:

Proactively engaging with tenants and offering advice and assistance;

Preventing tenants from losing their homes through sensitive debt management and rent arrears procedures;

Identifying the need for and processing Discretionary Housing Payments quickly;

Adjusting allocations and letting policies to assist tenants who wish to downsize.

“Thanet District Council also commits to protesting to Government to repeal the Bedroom Tax by:

Working with tenant organisations who call for the repeal of the Bedroom Tax;

Communicating the hidden costs and impracticalities of the Bedroom Tax;

Demonstrating to Government the unfairness of the Bedroom Tax;

Working with the Government to provide alternative strategies to address housing shortages.”

On the proposal of Councillor Fenner, seconded by Councillor Hart, it was AGREED to debate the motion.

Some Members stated that whilst they could support the first part of the motion, they could not support the second.  At the conclusion of the debate, Councillor Bayford requested that a vote be taken separately on each part of the motion.  Councillor Fenner, as proposer of the motion, expressed her wish to have the motion put to the vote as a single motion.

Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was RESOLVED:

“That Council agrees the motion in principle and refers it to Cabinet.”