Issue - meetings

To receive a briefing from Councillor Knight, Executive Member for Housing & Benefits, and to consider any issues that arise.

To consider any Advance Questions submitted.

The Committee received a presentation from Councillor G.J. Knight, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Housing & Benefits, on the Housing & Benefits portfolio, including the work of Housing Services, the Intervention Team, and Revenues, Benefits & Fraud services.

The information on Housing Services included an overview of the service’s work to address homeless in the borough, with regard to the expanded requirements of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017.  This made reference to levels of demand and supply, a new emergency accommodation unit opened by the Council in September 2018, challenges facing the service, including the demands of universal credit, work with registered housing providers, including Raven Housing Trust, and future objectives and the developing Housing Strategy.

The information on the Intervention Team included an overview of the team’s work to support vulnerable residents across four services: Family Support, Refugee Resettlement, Universal Credit, and Money Support. This made reference to activity levels in these areas, and the objectives and outcomes of the services.

The information on Revenues, Benefits & Fraud services included an overview of the service’s work to collect Council Tax and Business Rates, support households though Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support, protect the public purse though fraud and financial investigations, and the provision of services to other councils, housing providers and private companies, thereby generating income for the Council. This made reference to activity levels and performance, and to the potential for future expansion to the service’s commercial activities.

The Committee considered and discussed the presentation. There were a number of questions and comments relating to the following topics:

·               Housing Services demand levels and support requirements. It was queried if the additional demands resulting from the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA), along with the effects of the roll out of Universal Credit, had led to an increased requirement for officers. It was confirmed that this was the case, with an increase from 15 to 19 officers, the 4 new fixed term contracts currently funded by central government funding to support the implementation of the HRA, with options for permanent funding being considered.

·               Additional emergency accommodation sites. It was queried if consideration was being given to the council establishing additional emergency accommodation sites in the borough, as the site in Horley appeared be operating well. It was suggested that a site in a more central or northern location in the borough would be beneficial for those with local connection to these areas and requiring emergency accommodation. It was identified that there were no current plans for additional sites, but that options would be kept under review.

·               Housing Register waiting times. It was identified that average waiting times for housing register properties varied in line with the size of the property required and specialist requirements, and were estimate to be as follows in cases with no special requirements:

o   1 Bedroom – 1 Year

o   2 Bedrooms – 2.5 Years

o   3 Bedrooms – 3.5 Years

o   4(+) Bedrooms – Over 3.5 Years

It was identified that these times reflected the limited availability of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57