The Interim Strategic Director: Regeneration and Environment provided a detailed update on the transfer, on 2 July 2012, from Wirralhomes to the sub-regional Property Pool Plus (PPP) Choice Based Lettings Service, which was a collaboration between the 5 Merseyside housing authorities Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral and over 25 Registered Providers. He commented that the new scheme comprised a joint allocations policy, a joint housing register and a shared web-based IT system provided by a third party provider, Abritas. It gave applicants for social housing and existing tenants who wished to move, access to most of the social housing in Merseyside and enabled them to register and bid for available properties electronically. He commented that PPP recognised the housing need of a greater number of applicants than the previous scheme and there was now a finer distinction between types of housing need through the use of 6 priority bands compared with 3 under the previous system. In addition, although the register was open to anyone in housing need, access to a priority band in Wirral was only available to applicants with a local connection to Wirral. However, there was cap of 4% of lettings which could be made to applicants from outside the area and the net movement in and out of Wirral was negligible.

All Wirralhomes applicants had been contacted personally by letter about the change to the new system and had been advised of the need to log on to the system to provide additional information that was required. However, approximately 65% of applicants had not yet updated their details, and all would be reminded to do so during 2013, if they wished to remain on the housing register.

In response to a question from the Chair with regard to those applicants who disagreed with the banding they had been allocated, the Interim Strategic Director provided information in relation to the two stage appeal process.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the officers be requested to include within future update reports –

(a)  details of the number of lets that are available within each area, and

(b)  details of applicants current area of residence, compared with their First Area of Preference.