Solihull councillors have reaffirmed their commitment to address the increasing number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the borough, following a heated debate that touched on immigration. The council is progressing with plans to seek stronger powers to regulate HMOs, including consulting on an Article 4 directive by the end of the year.
Background on HMO Regulation
Under current rules, landlords can convert a family home into an HMO for up to six people without needing planning permission. In April, councillors agreed cross-party to seek a change to the licensing threshold from six to three occupants by removing permitted development rights through an Article 4 directive—a route other councils have taken to tackle HMO growth nationally.
Council Update on Progress
Providing an update at the latest full council meeting, Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, cabinet portfolio holder for climate change and planning, said: “We have commissioned supporting evidence. Given our continual drive to publish a new local plan this autumn, which can provide a planning policy basis for how we consider HMOs, we are now working to consult on the Article 4 position by the end of the year. We will continue to review the opportunities for additional licensing powers alongside the planning approach.”
New Motion and Debate
Later in the meeting, Reform UK Councillor Michael James proposed a new motion asking for a six-monthly report on the effectiveness of planning policy relating to HMOs and requesting council leader Karen Grinsell write to the government seeking stronger powers for local authorities to manage the concentration and location of HMOs. Councillor James said: “I call on this council to lobby the government to reduce the use of HMOs for Home Office accommodation in Solihull, to accelerate the decisions on immigration cases, and give local authorities a far greater say over accommodation in their own boroughs.”
Councillor Mackiewicz, who proposed an amendment to the motion, said: “In principle I don’t disagree. In April we passed a motion along these lines. We are on the way to delivering this. This will sort of delay where we are at.”
Cross-Party Reactions
Councillor Max McLoughlin, leader of the Green group on the authority, said: “If you look at the statistics, the number of people who are within the asylum system who are currently in properties that are ultimately impacting is negligible overall. Making reference to asylum I don’t think is helpful.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Ade Adeyemo said: “The focus on immigration is totally unhelpful. There is an issue with HMOs, how they are managed and licensed—as a council we should concentrate on that.”
Councillor Samantha Gethen, Reform UK group leader, said: “This motion was brought forward because communities are changing. We are losing family homes, we are having HMOs next to family homes, people don’t want that.”
Conservative councillor Heather Delaney said: “Supported accommodation is a HMO—you are telling me people with disabilities that live in supported accommodation don’t have the right to live next to a family home? That’s not OK.” Councillor Gethen replied: “I can’t take that, I didn’t mention anything about that.”
Outcome
Following the lengthy debate, the motion as amended by the Conservatives was passed on the votes of the ruling group. The meeting was held at the Civic Suite on July 7.
