Update on DCC's Selective Licensing Scheme for Private Sector Rented Properties

Following concerns expressed by residents at a PACT (Police and Communities Together) meeting held in Blackhall last year we called on housing officers at Durham County Council to consider a range of measures, including the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme, to help address a number of issues relating primarily to anti-social behaviour and private sector rented housing in the village (please see posts on this site dated Friday 17 May 2019, Thursday 21 March 2019 and Thursday 11 October 2018 for background details).

It was acknowledged at the time that because of stringent government legislation the implementation of a Selective Licensing Scheme would be a long and arduous undertaking for the council, but it was also recognised that local conditions and demand from many communities meant that the council shouldn't be deterred from taking up the challenge.

Yesterday Durham County Council's Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered a report setting out the latest update on work undertaken so far to introduce a Selective Licensing Scheme, including the overarching legislation and statutory requirements which must be met before a Scheme can be implemented.

The full committee report at the link here: Selective Licensing - Progress Update: PDF 277 KB  sets out the background to the proposed scheme, including details about what a Selective Licensing Scheme is, how it operates and what a local authority must do by law if it wishes to implement a Scheme in its area. There are also details in the report of the work the council has undertaken to date since the decision was made by cabinet last year to implement a Selective Licensing Scheme.

The report also sets out the context of the scheme in County Durham, along with details of the statutory public consultation which must be completed before any Scheme is submitted to the Secretary of State for approval, and finally it sets out the next steps the council must take before the scheme can be fully implemented.

Further update reports will be published on this site as the Scheme progresses towards implementation.