Mar

NEW: Devolution deal gives Manchester more rogue landlord powers

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A new devolution deal will give the 10 Greater Manchester councils powers to approve larger selective licensing schemes.

The pact, signed by Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison (pictured, below), Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (main pic) and the council leaders, will also see authorities develop and trial regulatory schemes to improve housing quality in the PRS.

They will be the first to help test the Private Rented Sector Property Portal while it will give Greater Manchester powers to strengthen its Good Landlord Charter and crack down on rogue landlords.

At the end of last year, the authority announced £1.5m from the Housing Investment Loans Fund would be used for 10 new trainee roles across the city-region to expand housing enforcement – part of a three-year package of measures that also includes on-the-job training for existing officers under the Good Landlord Scheme.

Under the deal, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will get £3.9 million so it can lease 200 good quality private rented sector properties for homeless families, in a bid to eliminate the use of B&Bs other than in exceptional circumstances.

£150 million

It also includes devolving £150 million brownfield funding support to GMCA to deliver 7,000 homes in the next three years and devolution of funding to retrofit buildings, to bring down energy bills.

The deal marks a seismic shift in power, funding and responsibility from Whitehall to the region which will have more cash and power to invest in local communities’ priorities.

Andy Burnham says: “While we didn’t get everything we wanted from the deal, we will continue to engage with government on those areas in the future. For now, our focus will be on getting ready to take on the new powers and be held to account on the decisions we will be making on behalf of the people of Greater Manchester.”

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