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The Committee welcomed Cllr Mrs R. Renton, Executive Member for Housing & Welfare, who presented a briefing on housing matters. The Committee also welcomed Cllr Mrs J. Bray, one of the Council’s representatives on the Board of Raven Housing Trust, to the meeting.
The Executive Member’s briefing was primarily concerned with the ongoing challenge posed by high levels of homelessness within the borough (and both Surrey- and nationwide), referring specifically to the emergency route into housing, as opposed to the preferred route through the Housing Register.
The Executive Member explained how the social housing sector was changing, particularly with the introduction of welfare reforms (including the roll-out of Universal Credit) and new legislation such as the Housing & Planning Bill, all of which was placing additional pressure on housing associations and contributing to increasing levels of homelessness.
The Committee heard about current methods of prevention, including through the work of a dedicated officer, and the increasing reliance on private sector letting agents and landlords, which had associated challenges. The Executive Member set out some of the most common causes of homelessness, and emphasised the need for the Council to have in place a robust system of support which addressed prevention in a multi-faceted way, as well as exploring opportunities to increase the supply of permanent and temporary accommodation for those instances where prevention fails or there is no opportunity to prevent.
Councillor Mrs. Renton highlighted the current and ongoing work of the Housing Team to determine how best to achieve this. In response to a Committee question regarding resources, it was explained that the Council’s foremost objective was to ensure that existing resources were allocated where they would have the greatest impact. The Committee noted that a full review was currently ongoing within the Housing Team, to be completed by the end of the current financial year. Following this, it was anticipated that the Corporate Plan Delivery Fund would be used to pilot and test a number of new schemes during 2016/17, in order to inform service and financial planning for 2017/18. The Committee heard that input from all Members would be sought during this process, and that no idea was being discounted at this stage.
Further questions and comments were made by the Committee regarding the following:
• It was noted that the Council’s rent deposit scheme maintained a list of private landlords whose accommodation and service had been checked and verified, and was hoping to be able to add to this register;
• The Committee heard that families presenting as homeless were typically placed in self-contained accommodation immediately so as to limit the amount of upheaval caused to them;
• It was noted that the construction of two new bungalows in Horley using Section 106 monies was already underway, and that the Council was looking for other opportunities to acquire and bring forward property that would provide new temporary or permanent accommodation. It was noted that there was a limited supply of appropriate land within the borough;
• The Committee noted that existing methods of prevention included a tenancy guarantor scheme to secure accommodation in the private sector and, where appropriate, short-term support for residents in hardship, to prevent eviction. It was noted that the majority of homelessness presentations came from the private rented sector, and the Council was considering how to encourage these residents to seek help and advice sooner, as well as how to improve relationships with private landlords;
• An indicative breakdown was given of the reasons for people becoming homeless from within the private sector, which included the loss of tenancy for reasons other than arrears, domestic violence, the non-violent breakdown of a relationship, and family or friends becoming unable or unwilling to provide accommodation. It was agreed that a briefing note containing this information would be circulated to all Members. Information about increases in private rents was also requested;
• It was noted that, under Universal Credit, Housing Benefit would be paid direct to tenants rather than to Registered Providers, however, these would be able to apply to receive the benefit directly if their tenant were to default for three months. The Committee heard that the Council had been working closely with Raven Housing Trust to identify and engage with those residents who would be affected by the introduction of Universal Credit;
• The Committee discussed changing ways of working by housing associations, noting that Raven Housing Trust (and other associations) had reduced the leniency within their Housing Allocation Policy with regards to rent arrears and anti-social behaviour. It was noted that the Council was working to ensure that the Council was better forewarned by Raven about cases where this was likely to lead to eviction. It was also noted that many housing associations, including Raven, were now building more shared ownership properties than social rent properties, and that the Council was therefore working to help identify those tenants who could afford to move into shared ownership, in order to make social rent properties available to those in need;
• The Committee noted that the Council had no plans to explore the acquisition of any housing associations;
• It was noted that the borough did not contain a high number of long-term empty properties, but that the Council did pursue this where appropriate, including in partnership with the YMCA;
• Finally, the Committee noted that the Council’s Fraud Team was always working to prevent Housing Benefit fraud, and that the Council was currently engaged with Raven Housing Trust on a social housing fraud programme, as part of which a one month key amnesty was presently underway in Preston. It was noted that, if successful, this would be expanded to other parts of the borough as well.
The Chairman thanked the Executive Member for providing a clear and detailed briefing, and Councillor Mrs J. Bray for attending and contributing to the Committee’s discussion.
RESOLVED that the Executive Member for Housing & Welfare be thanked for briefing the Committee and responding to questions.
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