Decision details

The council’s existing selective licensing designation in Margate is due to expire on 20 April 2016. This report seeks the agreement of Cabinet to undertake a public consultation with a view to exploring the possibility of making a further five-year designation.

Cabinet agreed the following:

(i)  To undertake a public consultation with a view to potentially designating the area shown in Annex 2 (to the Cabinet report) for the purposes of selective licensing. This proposal is set out in option 2 of the report and relates to an area that is substantially similar to that already designated;

(ii)  To Authorise officers to undertake a 10 week public consultation beginning on 17 August 2015 that sets out the proposal and seeks views;

(iii)  To receive a further report in early January 2016 following the public consultation to determine whether a selective licensing designation should be made.

1.  The current selective licensing scheme in Cliftonville West and Margate Central has had a positive impact in the designated area.

2.  The current scheme comes to an end on 20 April 2016.

3.  The Housing Act 2004 does not provide for an existing selective licensing designation to be extended, but instead require a wholly new designation to be considered. Any new designation is subject to public consultation.

The following options were considered:

1.  Do nothing

2.  Undertake public consultation with a view to designating an area that is substantially similar to the current designation. Undertake public consultation with a view to designating an area that is substantially similar to the current designation.

3.  Undertake public consultation with a view to designating the same area as the current designation.

Option 2 was agreed because:

1.  It would enable a public consultation to be undertaken for a new designation with effect from 21 April 2016.

2.  The consultations proposals would incorporate lessons from the current designation.

3.  Dwellings that are proposed to be included within the consultation proposals for the first time display many of the same characteristics as those already in the currently designated area.