The Assistant Director of Housing presented the report on behalf of the Director of Regeneration and Place. The report noted that in December 2023, a report was brought to the Committee on Selective Licensing Scheme (Scheme 4) in four Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) from 1st April 2024 until 31st March 2029. Paterson Street and Park Close were within one of these LSOAs, known as Birkenhead West (code E01007127 / Wirral 016B), however the whole of Paterson Street and the even numbered properties of Park Close were absent from the list of properties included in the report presented to Committee on 6th December 2023 and therefore were not included within the Scheme 4 area. As a result, there were a number of properties within the Scheme 4 Area which could not be subject to Selective Licensing requirements which would lead to an absence of Selective Licensing in part of the LSOA which had been identified through the evidence base previously presented to the Committee as a whole LSOA requiring a licensing scheme.

Due to the omission of Paterson Street and the even numbers of Park Close from the list of addresses presented to this Committee for inclusion in Scheme 4, a further decision by Committee was required to approve the application of Selective Licensing in these streets in a further Scheme (Scheme 4A) to ensure the designation applies under Section 80 of the Housing Act 2004.

The streets would be subject to a designation notice period to commence within 7 days of decision of Committee and would last for 3 months. The designation would commence immediately after this notice period ended and would end on 31 March 2029.

Resolved – That

1.  Delegated authority be granted to the Director of Regeneration and Place to take all necessary action to implement Selective Licensing Scheme 4A as set out in the report;

2.  Selective Licensing Scheme 4A shall run until 31st March 2029; and

3.  The selective licence fee shall be at the rate of £585.