Issue - meetings

Background:

The report presented a summary of the responses received following the extensive consultation undertaken by the Council relating to the Article 4 Directions which were brought into effect within the following wards: Chatham Central and Brompton; Fort Pitt; Gillingham North; Gillingham South; Luton; Strood North and Frindsbury; and Watling.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

Reasons:

The Council is responsible for ensuring that all residents have a satisfactory standard of accommodation and for the delivery of all types of housing to be of a high quality, while protecting the residential amenities of an area and the existing residents within it, to ensure both existing and future residents’ needs are met.

There is sufficient evidence as set out in the appendices to the report to the 16 December 2025 Cabinet, to suggest that the unregulated nature of HMOs within Medway within the relevant Wards is resulting in a poor standard of living, with subsequent and linked issues in terms of anti-social behaviour and detrimental impact on existing residential amenity.

Having considered the responses to the Consultation it is considered that the benefits of confirming the Article 4 Direction outweigh the concerns.