Allocations Policy

Cannock Chase District Council (CCDC) aims to provide the right homes to the right people.

A key tool in achieving this aim is its Allocations Scheme (or Policy). CCDC, like all local authorities, is required by law to ensure it has a scheme which meets its legal obligations and which enables it to determine priorities and procedures when allocating social housing, including how the Council decides who should have priority for those properties that are available.

The Allocations Policy sets out the aims, objectives, priorities and processes to which the Council will work when allocating empty properties to applicants and transferring tenants, in the context of the nature and availability of social housing within the district and how the local housing market has changed.

It also aims to set objectives to ensure that the Council provides an efficient, responsive and customer focused allocations and lettings service incorporating choice and accessibility, in conjunction with our partners.

Over the last few months, we consulted service users, colleagues and others on proposed changes to our Allocation Policy. More details about the consultation process can be found below.

We revised the proposed policy to take account of the feedback we received and this was presented to the Council's Cabinet for approval. Cabinet approved the adoption of the new policy on 28th March 2024, subject to one minor amendment, which has now been incorporated into the final policy document. You can find the cabinet papers related to the Allocations Policy on our website at Cabinet - 28th March 2024 | Cannock Chase District Council (cannockchasedc.gov.uk).

The new Allocations Policy applies to both existing and new housing applicants, except for a two-year residency qualification*, which applies only to new housing applicants whose completed housing application was first made on or after 1st July 2024. Housing applicants who applied before this date are subject to a one-year residency qualification only. (*There are exemptions to the residency qualification criteria for certain applicants, set out within the policy document).

Alongside the new policy we are implementing improved information for customers and others and better support to applicants throughout the application and lettings process. More details about this will follow, as we roll out the new policy and these support measures across the year. We will announce implementation dates and update this webpage, and affected customers, as the new policy and improved services are implemented and rolled out.

The new approved allocations policy is set out below. Should you have any questions please contact the allocations team on 01543 462 621 or allocations@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Allocations Policy 2024 (Final - Cabinet Approved 28-3-24).pdf

Allocations Policy Review - Consultation Results

We would like to thank everyone who took time to consider the policy, our consultation questions and who sent in replies.

All respondents were happy with the key changes which we had proposed. A number however had questions, wanted to make comments or had suggestions in relation to policy wording, the policy implications or the consultation itself. We appreciate all of this feedback.

After the consultation ended, we considered the results and have incorporated a number of changes to the proposed policy - your views really did count! The revised draft policy will now be presented to the Council's Cabinet, who will decide whether or not the policy should be approved. If it is, we envisage that the policy will come into effect on 12th April 2024.

You can see details of the consultation responses we received and the proposed responses to this feedback, including any changes made to the draft policy and other action we are taking below.

We will update this page once the Council's Cabinet have considered the policy and decided whether or not to approve its implementation.

We are implementing a number of changes to the draft policy as a result of the feedback we received. The 'consultation response' document below sets out all of the feedback received, our comments in response and the changes we are making. You can read this in conjunction with the pre consultation 'final draft' document below.

A summary of the more substantive feedback which has resulted in changes is set out below or they can be found in the Consultation Responses document:

Detailed Consultation Responses

Allocations Policy 2023/24 Final Draft

Allocations Policy Consultation Documents and Process

Our consultation process was undertaken as follows:

We asked for comments from housing applicants, district residents, agencies and partners that we work with and anyone with an interest in helping shape our policy to best meet applicant and community needs, while taking account of the current housing environment and local housing market.

Our consultation included:

Applicants, Tenants and Private Landlords of Cannock Chase district
Colleagues in the housing team and more widely across the district
Partners we work with, including all those whom the Allocations Policy directly affects or whose assistance and support we rely on to help us in our efforts to provide an allocations service to best effect
Other parties who have an interest or who wish to comment (the public)

Please click on the documents and links at the foot of this page which aim to explain what we proposed, why, and how people could respond. The documents set out: