Agenda item

Housing and Homelessness Strategies - Progress

(i)         Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and            the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services.

(ii)        Presentation by the Housing Manager and the Spatial Policy Team

            Leader, Regeneration and Local Services.

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the Policy Team Leader, Graeme Smith and the Housing Manager, Marie Smith who were in attendance to give an update on the Housing and Homelessness Strategies(for copy see file of minutes).

 

The Policy Team Leader and Housing Manager, Marie Smith gave a comprehensive presentation in terms of the Housing and Homelessness Strategies. 

 

The Policy Team Leader explained that there was a Housing Strategy Framework and Partnership Structure in place, and referred Members to slides within the presentation.  Members were given an overview of: Housing Strategy evidence, and the County Durham Plan (CDP); the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA); the Housing Demand Assessment; and the Housing Market Position Statement.

 

The Housing Manager, Marie Smith gave Members information in terms of: an overview of Housing Solutions, including contacts; headline statistics for homelessness; and the homelessness review and Strategy.  Councillors were also informed of the tools available to help prevent homelessness including: a Joint Protocol for 16/17 year olds; a pre-eviction protocol; Family Intervention case work; a prevention fund; and the Discretionary Housing payment.  It was noted that homelessness had been prevent for over 1,200 clients.  It was also highlighted that the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 places a greater emphasis on Local Authorities preventing homelessness with a requirement that they produce a strategy to cover prevention, provision of support and current supply in both social and private sector.

 

The Chairman thanked the Officers for their presentation and asked for any comments or questions.

 

Councillor M Clarke noted in terms of the SHMA and, with the CDP being worked on, he asked whether there was a window of opportunity that developers were taking advantage of and noted the need to maintain focus on delivering 1 and 2 bedroom properties if that is what we needed.  The Policy Team Leader noted the figure was a guide and that a proportion of a development is set aside in terms of affordable housing, with the SHMA informing the type and mix of properties.

 

Councillor J Atkinson noted the number of long term empty properties and asked how many were not rentable due to condition and how many were due to location.  The Policy Team Leader noted the number seemed high as there were a high number of properties within the County; however as a percentage it was low.  He added that reasons could vary, and could include the reasons the Councillor stated and also other factors, such as rent level.  The Policy Team Leader noted there was a need to understand those cluster of properties and to understand why.  He added that we were not there yet; however surveys would provide the evidence to inform the Strategy.

 

Councillor P Howell noted that the headline figure for affordable homes there was a shortfall of 378 per year in the County and asked what the total backlog was.  The Policy Team Leader noted this was based upon the need at the point of gathering evidence, 2016, and the 378 was a net shortfall, over a 5 year period.  Councillor P Howell asked whether this figure was an accumulative figure or an independent yearly figure.  The Chairman noted this could be circulated to the Committee.  Councillor P Howell continued by asking  if it would be possible to have further detail on the categories of empty properties and where clusters of empty properties are located in the county.  The Policy Team Leader noted that this information could be provided to the committee when progress on the CDP is brought back to the Committee.

 

Councillor E Adam noted the SHMA was the strategy for the type of dwelling and noted the context of more people looking to rent rather than to buy a property and the impact of the spare room subsidy.  He asked as regards the involvement of Business Durham feeding information into the process and in relation to homelessness asked if Housing Advice Line staff take information and pass this on or simply signpost or give information to those making contact.  The Policy Team Leader noted that the preference was for an affordable of social rent over an “intermediate product”, rather than over owner/occupier.  He added that the impact of welfare reform changes was an overprovision of 3 bedroom properties, again information feeding into the evidence base.  The Policy Team Leader also noted that there were links with Business Durham, as per the framework set out in the presentation, linking to the County Durham Economic Partnership (CDEP), including wider input from business.  The Housing Manager, Marie Smith noted that when an individual contacted the Housing Advice Line they usually would require: an application form for DKO to be sent out; a small amount of advice, linking to services such as the Citizens’ Advice Bureau; or with more complex issues, a case is opened and the individual is passed on to the relevant Specialist.

 

Councillor P Sexton asked if, after the stock survey and other assessments, was there a plan to follow from the strategy with deliverables, dates, resources and so on and would there be physical evidence that Members could see to be able to scrutinise and measure progress accordingly. 

 

The Policy Team Leader noted the full document and evidence would go out with the CDP and cited the evidence from previous stock surveys leading to actions such as the involvement of Warm up North.  He added it was an iterative process and while the document was on track for June, that did not mean that actions were not already being taken.

 

Councillor M Wilson asked if the SHMA had recognised an aging population and the need for more bungalows and asked how this was encouraged as developers did not seem keen to build them.  The Policy Team Leader noted there was an aging population in the County and that within the Issues and Options paper there was a specific question regarding older people, in terms of leaving the issue to market forces or taking a more prescriptive view in terms of a policy approach, akin to that taken in respect of affordable housing.  He added that a number of Neighbourhood Plans that had been developed did include these types of policies.  The Chairman noted a development within her division where it had been possible to secure 14 bungalows and added that it was possible.

 

Councillor P Jopling asked as regards the number of empty properties and whether it was possible to find out how many were private and how many were “Durham’s own”.  The Policy Team Leader noted the data came from Council Tax and did not have ownership attached.  The Council’s Head of Economic Development and Housing, Sarah Robson noted that Council no longer had housing stock; however, the information should be available and could be brought back to Members.  The Housing Manager, Shirley Janes noted that of the total of 11,361 from Council Tax records, 949 were social housing. 

 

Councillor P Jopling noted affordable housing, and in particular bungalows, if left to developers would be more akin to private rent, and a lot of elderly people could be left out in terms of affordability.  The Policy Team Leader noted two aspects, one being market led, the other being 20% affordable housing.

 

Councillor E Scott noted a recent television programme where properties had been sold off for £1, with the stipulation that those purchasing would renovate and move in and remain in the property for a number of years and asked if this was something we could look to do in the County.  The Housing Manager, Shirley Janes noted she would explain as regards this type of activity within her presentation on the next item.

 

Councillor J Clare noted that hidden homelessness, “sofa surfing” was an issue that needed to be addressed and added that from experience of an individual in his division could have a number of complex needs and the work of the Council and partners was very good.  Councillor J Clare noted his questions were was there only emergency housing provision available at Sunderland or Newcastle, and that he was interested as regards the Housing Forum and Development Group, what they do and how they could affect things.  The Housing Manager, Marie Smith noted the Authority did have emergency accommodation, some at Chester-le-Street and other locations, with some for single females.  She added that the Authority was looking to develop similar for families, direct access and added that all efforts were made to avoid the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.  The Housing Manager, Marie Smith added that there was an increasing demand and that this was noted and was part of the Homelessness Strategy.  The Policy Team Leader noted the Housing Forum fed into the CDEP and the Council’s Head of Economic Development and Housing Chaired the Forum. 

He added it included all the Chief Executives of the Housing Providers and was a very strategic group sharing information, influencing and also had an understanding operationally which all helped to inform strategies.  It was added that the Housing Development Group looked at products and delivery, looking to understand planning at the Council in terms of the types of products needed.  The Policy Team Leader added that the Housing Support Group focussed on care, homelessness and how Registered Providers could help and what constraints there were.

 

Councillor A Patterson thanked the Officers and noted that the Committee had identified that there needed to be a joined up approach in terms of planning, and that performance was monitored quarterly.  She asked if new legislation would have an impact and would there be implications in terms of staffing and capacity.  The Housing Manager, Marie Smith noted that delivery had been reviewed and 4 additional Officers had strengthened the team and that the focus would be more on the customer, with Personal Housing Plans and so on.

 

Councillor P Howell noted he was surprised in terms of figures that highlighted a reduction in those presenting as homeless citing financial hardship, while there was an increase in those citing relationship breakdown as a reason.  He asked whether this would then be fed into the strategy and lead to changes accordingly.  The Housing Manager noted that there was targeted work in terms of these areas and that where there have been preventions, those were not included in the figures within the presentation.  It was added that the impact of Universal Credit had not been seen yet.

 

Resolved:       

 

(i)            That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee note the report and presentation.

(ii)          That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of the refresh of the work programme for 2018-2019 receive a further update report in relation to both strategies.

 

Supporting documents: