The lettings policy for Council Houses is to be reviewed following concerns raised by Morley Borough Independent Councillors about the way council houses are allocated. The review was triggered after councillors were visited by local tenants who complained about the disruption settled communities were facing because of the implementation of the choice based lettings policy.

 Cllr Judith Elliott said, “We need to look again at the way this policy works. At present applicants are allocated properties once they get to the top of the list. This often means that young people are allocated accommodation that is occupied by older people and the different lifestyles often lead to tensions.”

In other cases problems have occurred when applicants with drugs or alcohol problems have been allocated accommodation within family based housing along with tenants with anti-social behaviour orders who have also being given council accommodation.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said, “We need to introduce a more common sense approach to allocating property. Mixing old and young, families and those who need additional support often does not work and creates further problems. We will be looking at the policy to see if it can be changed to avoid similar difficulties in the future.”