Issue - meetings

To receive a briefing from Executive Members of the People Portfolio areas of work: Housing & Support, Leisure & Culture and Community Partnerships and to consider any issues that arise.

The Committee received presentations and briefings from the three Portfolio Holders responsible for the following areas of the Council’s services: Housing & Support, Leisure & Culture and Community Partnerships.

Portfolio Holder for Housing & Support, Councillor Neame, gave the first presentation and overview of work over the past year and challenges to come. There had been an increase in homeless approaches but there was a high percentage of positive outcomes for homeless people. A number of government grants had been secured including a £190k grant from Homes England to support the capital build ringfenced for single homeless applicants in Lee Street. Six homes in Pitwood Park, Tadworth development were sold using Help to Buy Scheme and 11 houses to Raven Housing Trust for shared ownership. Many of the 32 flats on Cromwell Road were to be let at sub-market rents and the remainder at market rent via a RBBC wholly owned company. All this had been achieved during a difficult and unprecedented year.

Committee Members asked questions in the following areas:

Use of private sector – Members asked how many homeless households were assisted into private sector accommodation and what the proportion was in the Borough compared to using social housing. It was noted that due to the lack of social housing, the Council had to use the private rented sector and assist tenants applying for help with housing benefits and to secure deposits and rents in advance. The Head of Housing would follow-up the numbers in the private sector with a written answer. The Council placed more people in the private rental sector than the social rental sector.

Asylum Seekers and Refugees – Members asked for further information on the legal definitions and differences between Asylum Seekers and Refugees. The Head of Housing would provide more details in a follow-up written response.

Afghan refugees resettlement – Members questioned if Afghan refugees were in temporary accommodation locally while they waited for appropriate housing or if they would need to move into other areas once accommodation was found which could disrupt children’s education. Councillor Neame confirmed that until the properties were available, the Home Office was responsible for the refugees who were housed away in bridging hotels. This was an ongoing challenge. The locations were arranged by the Home Office. In response to Member questions, it was confirmed that there were no bridging hotels for Afghan refugees in Reigate and Banstead although there were three hotels providing initial accommodation in Horley and Reigate for 341 asylum seekers. There was one bridging hotel in Mole Valley and one in Tandridge (within East Surrey). It was confirmed that private rented properties were being sought so this would not necessarily affect local residents or homeless applicants.

Maternity health for pregnant refugees was discussed. There was a lot of pressure on health colleagues, but they were supporting all the pregnant women and looking after the general health of refugees such as providing vaccinations.

The work with Syrian refugees was highlighted and successes achieved such as the well-attended Syrian  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60