How can we get Selective Licensing Council to show where the money is going?

Local Councils use Selective Licensing to make money, and Landlords are forced to pay when Councils find a reason to license an area.

I have two concerns over this:

Number one, the law allows them to use antisocial behaviour in the private sector as a reason for licensing. Where would Councils get that information from, and where could we see the evidence they use?

Number two, funds brought in by licensing are supposed to be ring-fenced. What evidence do we have that that is the case?

I have not seen my Council in Newcastle providing that information.

Has anyone tried to find this information out?

If so, what did you find?

Stewart

Editor’s Note:

By law, a council must publish:

• A designation report justifying the scheme

• Details of a public consultation

• An Equalities Impact Assessment

• A costing model (though this is often vague)

You should be able to find these on your council’s website or request them under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

In Newcastle, for example, the council’s website should host a page on Selective Licensing (usually under housing or environmental health) with downloadable PDFs of their consultation documents. If they don’t, you can submit an FOI request asking for:

• The ASB evidence used to justify the licensing

• The data sources

• Minutes of meetings where licensing areas were approved

Unfortunately, very few councils voluntarily publish detailed breakdowns of how the income is spent. However, you can request this via an FOI:

• Annual income and expenditure reports for Selective Licensing

• Staff salaries charged to the scheme

• Cost of inspections and legal action funded from the fees