Scarborough Council backs renewal and expansion of selective licensing schemes

Scarborough Council’s cabinet voted unanimously in favour of plans to progress the renewal and expansion of selective licensing schemes for private rented properties in the borough.

Approval of the plan, which aims to regulate standards and improve property conditions within private rented accommodation, was made at a meeting on Tuesday, February 14.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Carl Maw, cabinet member for housing and stronger communities, said: “As we’ve seen, selective licensing is one of the tools in our armoury to improve the stock of private rented accommodation that is available in the borough.

“This report moves to instruct the officers to develop a business case for the renewal of selective licensing designation to cover the areas that were previously covered, such as the North Bay and the central ward.”

The council will seek to combine the existing Scarborough North and Central selective licensing schemes and conduct a public consultation on the creation of a licensing scheme for Scarborough Town.

The authority says that selective licensing has led to 100 per cent of licensed properties having been inspected at least once and has led to hundreds of serious safety issues being identified and dealt with, in addition to almost 5,000 other issues being identified.

The licensing has also led to prosecutions against landlords, who have failed to apply for a licence or comply with licensing conditions and standards.

Cllr Bill Chatt, not a member of the cabinet, praised the licensing scheme and said it “improved quality of life for people”.

He also asked why the authority was renewing schemes rather than expanding it to other areas of the borough such as Whitby and Filey.

The council leader, Cllr Steve Siddons, said that schemes had to be renewed or there was a risk that “a few people will take advantage of that and go back to the way that they were”.

A council officer added that “the possibility of adding further areas is not be discounted”.

Approval to combine and create new schemes after public consultations will be made by the new North Yorkshire Council following April’s local government reorganisation.