Councillors have again made a commitment to tackle the growing number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) across Solihull after clashes over immigration.

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported prior to the local elections the Conservative-led authority agreed to seek the stronger powers to crackdown on the growing number of HMOs in the borough.

Under current rules landlords can convert a family home into a 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 through the removal of permitted development rights by pursuing an article 4 directive – a route other councils have taken to tackle the growth of HMOs nationally.

Providing an update at the latest full council meeting cllr 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 planning policy basis for how we consider HMOs, we are now working to consult on article 4 position by the end of the year.

"We will continue to review the opportunities for additional licensing powers alongside the planning approach."

Later in the meeting Reform UK cllr 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.

Cllr 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."

Cllr Mackiewicz, who proposed to amend 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."

Cllr 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 cllr 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."

Cllr 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 cllr 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."

Cllr Gethen replied: "I can't take that, I didn't mention anything about that."

Following the lengthy debate the motion amended by the Conservatives was passed on the votes of the ruling group.

The meeting held at the Civic Suite on July 7.