Questions are invited from members of the public about the work of the Cabinet.
Notice of any question must be given to Democratic Services by midday on Monday, 13th October 2025. Approximately 30 minutes will be set aside for Public Question Time, if required.
Minutes:
The following question was submitted in advance of the meeting by a member of the public, Alex Abbey:
What progress has been made on the article 4 direction removing permitted HMO developments of any size? And can we do anything to speed this up? Salford and Oldham and now Tameside have already implemented this, so can we work with these councils to use their expertise and/or copy across framework? I want to re-emphasise urgency with us lagging behind Salford and Oldham, leading landlords from these boroughs to look to our borough for developments that would get rejected with our neighbours. Every week taken on this, an area of our borough is further strained by another HMO popping up as landlords rush to get sub-standard conversions that wouldn't be approved done.
Responding, Councillor O’Brien thanked Mr Abbey for his question and interest and advised that the Council was aware of the work that has been done in other districts, however any proposed Article 4 Direction must be based on robust local evidence to support the decision and secure against challenge, so whilst we can learn from the experience of others we cannot simply copy their evidence base.
Work is underway to collate our own locally specific evidence base for a potential Article 4 Direction, with the aim of taking a report to Planning Control Committee (as the committee with delegated authority for Article 4 Directions) by the end of the year if justified by the evidence. We are also preparing updated Supplementary Planning Guidance for HMOs, with the intention of bringing consultation draft to Cabinet towards the end of the year. Alongside this, our licensing team are reviewing licensing standards and guidance for HMO landlords
A further supplementary question was submitted:
How can we ensure all HMOs are captured on any register, and how short a period can we give landlords to register, so no one can claim to have been an HMO before the register was in place?
Councillor O’Brien reported that the Council is currently using our Private Sector Housing teams and Licensing teams in accordance with our planners to review those HMOs that don’t require the standard guidance or licence as a result of their size. We don’t have an existing record we can use, we have to build one. Some of that might be from Council Tax data, some from local intelligence; our intention is to have as full a register as possible so we can ensure things like safety, security, and fire safety, as well as finding those which require licences.
A written follow up response would be sent in term of the second part of the question around how we avoid people getting in before the new measures are in place, but we will do what we can to be as quick and as comprehensive as possible in terms of getting that new guidance and potential Article 4 Direction in place by the end of the year.
A written question regarding street trees had been received by a member of the public, Peter Liggins, who was unable to attend and as such Members agreed that a written response to his question would be sent.