Minutes:
77.1 Councillor Jan Osborne, the Babergh Cabinet Member for Housing, introduced the report and explained that in March 2017 the Councils adopted both the Joint Home and Housing Strategy and Homeless Reduction and Rough Sleeping Reduction Strategy. The strategies’ committed the Councils to be open and transparent and to report how the Councils were preforming against the strategic aims set out in the strategies. Part of this commitment was to present an annual review to the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
77.2 Heather Tucker, the Corporate Manager for Housing Solutions then provided a presentation to Members.
77.3 The Chair thanked the Corporate Manager for the excellent report.
77.4 Councillor Grandon asked why the Council suddenly required extra accommodation during the Covid-19 Pandemic, when there were no rough sleepers in Babergh.
77.5 The Corporate Manager - Housing Solutions, explained that there had been an increase in people staying with friends and family (Sofa Surfers) or living with elderly relatives in the beginning of the year and who had been asked to leave as a result of the pandemic. This had created a high number of rough sleepers in the area and had increased the need for single accommodation. The Government were to cover support costs. The Councils were furthermore applying for additional funding from Central Government to enable further support for this group.
77.6 Councillor Grandon enquired what kind of support were referred to, as homeless and rough sleepers often had other issues.
77.7 The Corporate Manager - Housing Solutions, responded there were many aspects of support for drugs, alcohol and health related issues. Many rough sleepers did not have access to primary care support due to their transient lifestyle. If the Councils were successful in the application for further funding, then the Councils would be able to provide 24 hours support, to limit people to return to the streets.
77.8 Gavin Fisk, the Assistant Director for Housing, added that during the Covid-19 pandemic all Suffolk Councils and partner agencies housed more than 200 rough sleepers. They were now working with the Suffolk Public Sector Leaders on developing policies and strategies to eradicate rough sleeping in the area.
77.9 In response to Councillor McCraw’s questions, the Corporate Manager – Housing Solutions clarified that there were differences between homeless, sofa suffers and rough sleepers. Sofa surfers was not included in the rough sleeper statistics, which was provided to Government and collected on one dedicated night each year for those who ‘bedded down outside’.
77.10 Councillor Mullers asked if he could be provided with figures for rough sleeper for Stowmarket outside the meeting.
77.11 Councillor Carter queried how many people had been alleviated during the pandemic and how long the effect of the work undertaken during this period would last before the problems resurfaced again. He thought that some of the issues with rough sleeping were due to the absence of a half-way house in Suffolk.
77.12 The Assistant Director - Housing, responded that pre-Covid-19 the lack of outreach services had already been identified. However, accommodation was finite and the balance between housing demands and the number of homes available was an issue. The Councils were working with registered providers to activate their supply for accommodations. He added that during the past few years temporary accommodation had doubled.
77.13 In response to Councillor A. Osborne’s question regarding the interaction with rough sleepers. the Corporate Manager explained that it took a long time to build up a relationship with rough sleepers. Other areas in the District had not seen an increase in rough sleepers except Ipswich.
77.14 Councillor Gould referred to the eviction band during the Covid-19 lock-down for private landlords and when this would end. She asked whether the current strategy was robust enough to cope with the demand once the band ended and if there were any advantages to keep people in private accommodation.
77.15 The Corporate Manager - Housing Solutions, responded that the eviction band ended on the 20 September 2020. The legislation was complicated and in preparation, the team had worked with any known cases of impending evictions. The team was actively engaging with the individuals and had been successful to date, but there might be further unidentified cases. Private landlords were not able to share tenant information with the Council and could therefore not inform the Council if their tenants were at risk of being evicted. Both Councils had made commitments not to evict any of their own tenants during the Covid-10 Pandemic.
77.16 Councillor Gould remarked that small landlords could also be in financial difficulties, as they depended on income from tenants.
77.17 Councillor Carter asked if Members should engage with rough sleepers and if that would be a benefit.
77.18 The Corporate Manager responded that she would look into this, but if any Members noticed any rough sleepers, they should contact Street Link and a report would be forwarded to the team with 24 hours.
77.19 Councillor Grandon queried the de-sheltering of housing and that some existing tenants had not been able to live a quit life due to accommodation being use for new tenants. She asked if the allocation policy could be reviewed.
77.20 The Corporate Manager explained the process for tenant allocation of accommodation and the local letting polices across the Districts. The individual cases were assessed on a case by case basis before they were referred to the Housing Team. There was also the Breach of Tenancy policy, which could be implemented in certain cases. It was the intentions to review and update all letting policies across the Districts in due course.
77.21 Councillor McCraw referred to the risk management section 8 in the report, which had identified the lack of outside support and unforeseen pressures.
77.22 He proposed that the Committee recognised the importance of these strategies and stressed that housing continued to be recognised by Cabinets and Council as primary function.
77.23 Councillor Carter seconded the recommendation.
77.24 In response to Councillor Carters questions the Assistant Director clarified that the Councils did not house rough sleepers in Commercial properties in the Districts.
77.25 He asked Members to be mindful that this Housing Strategy was for a 5-year period and underpinned the support for residents in relations to all housing requirements. Key members needed reassurance that the Council had robust strategies in place and that these Strategies worked in tandem and not in isolation.
77.26 Councillor Scarff commented that there was evidence that both strategies were working and that the overall housing strategies had progressed well.
77.27 Councillor Welham considered the effect of people moving into the area from outside the Districts and the increasing number of people working from home. He considered whether this was good or bad for the area, what kind of accommodation residents would be requiring in the future and how to encourage people to be engaged in their local communities. He thought it was important to encourage the communities to develop neighbourhood plans and get local people involved in the communities.
77.28 Members agreed that the report was excellent and commended the officers on the report.
77.29 Members considered the recommendations and agreed to add an additional recommendation that Members thanked the officers for the report, presentation and the work conducted, especially at the commencement of Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions and the innovative approach to the work undertaken.
77.30 The recommendations were proposed by Councillor McCraw and Seconded by Councillor Carter:
By a unanimous vote
It was RESOLVED:
1.1 That Members had reviewed and noted the contents of this report and appendices, along with verbal contributions.
1.2 That Members thanked the officers for the report, presentation and the work conducted, especially at the commencement of Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions and the innovative approach to the work undertaken.
1.3 That the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee recognise the importance of these strategies and stresses that housing continues to be recognised by Cabinets and Council as primary functions.
NOTE: The Committee was adjourned between 11:37am and 11:45am.
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