Agenda item

That the Committee:

1.             Notes the activities and actions to tackle homelessness set out in the Homelessness Review at Annex 1 and the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027 at Annex 2, the Action Plan at Annex 3; Equality Impact Assessment at Annex 4; and

2.             Makes any observations for consideration by the Executive.

The Committee received a report on the activities and actions to tackle homelessness set out in the report, Homelessness Review at Annex 1, the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027 at Annex 2 and the Action Plan at Annex 3.

Councillor Neame, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Support, gave an overview of the Homelessness Review and Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which the Council is required to publish every five years under the Homelessness Act 2002. The current strategy expires in March 2022. The new strategy, set within a revised legislative framework, contained priority activities and actions to prevent homelessness and support those who are homeless, including the increasing numbers of applicants with multiple support needs, and setting out proposals to secure more suitable accommodation options. The approved Revenue Budget 2020/21 of £1m in the report set out each area of spending. Private bed and breakfast emergency accommodation accounted for around a third of the current year’s budget.

Councillor Neame praised the dedicated work of the housing team over the last five years for their support for homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless. She highlighted successes such as providing services under the significant changes to legal duties set out in the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, delivering the Council’s own emergency temporary accommodation to allow clients to stay in the Borough close to their own and family support teams and using the in-house advice service to support residents with budget and welfare needs at the earliest opportunity to prevent homelessness.

The Strategy looked to build on these successes to make services more user friendly give a wider choice to prevent homelessness and support on longer term basis for a stable home with more chance to obtain permanent employment. Key areas in the 2022-27 Strategy are to:

·       Prevent homelessness and sustain and secure tenancies.

·       Respond to residents with priority support needs – making multiple referrals to support agencies and accommodation providers.

·       Tackle rough sleepers, many with complex needs through the supported housing scheme and tenancy support.

·       Improve access to additional housing options and the range of accommodation available including delivering new affordable homes, council-led schemes, government ‘Move-on’ funding and funding our partners to deliver housing.

Members asked questions and made comments on the following areas:

Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 – Members asked about the distinction between the three duties set out in the legislation for the way local authorities manage homelessness applications: Prevention Duty, Relief Duty and Main Duty. Head of Housing, Richard Robinson, gave an overview for the Committee and explained the main differences. Prevention Duty (provides a personalised housing plan (PHP) if anyone is threatened with homelessness and ends after 56 days if the applicant becomes homeless. The period of 56 days gave the Council longer than the previous 28 days and allowed staff to see people a lot earlier and work with them to prevent homelessness. Relief Duty follows these 56 days, when the applicant is homeless. Relief Duty ends if suitable accommodation is available for six months or the person is no longer at risk of homelessness. Main Duty applies to only priority need applicants who are homeless.

Temporary emergency accommodation – Members asked about the numbers in temporary accommodation and how this compared to previous years. Head of Housing confirmed that the Council has access to around 115 to 120 units of self-contained temporary accommodation all of which are located within the Borough. As of 9 December, there were 27 households in bed and breakfast emergency accommodation including 15 single households. At the height of the pandemic this went up to 50 households. Currently, this was slightly higher than prior to the Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in 2018.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – Members questioned the impact of the pandemic and pressure on the Borough Council as a result of the lockdowns in 2020 and early 2021 and how this would be addressed? The Portfolio Holder and officers confirmed that the numbers had peaked slightly when the courts had reopened. There had not been as many evictions as initially predicted with revenue funding used for arrears in the social and private rented sectors. There were a higher number of single applicants than before housed in emergency accommodation and at risk of becoming street homeless rough sleepers. The temporary cabins set up in Doynygs leisure centre car park had been successful at taking rough sleepers off the streets during the pandemic. These cabins were due to be moved shortly as this had been a temporary solution during COVID-19.

Delivery of new homes – it was noted that there was a percentage of affordable housing in new homes schemes to deliver 30% on Council-owned land. This was set out in the Housing Delivery Strategy published in 2020 as opposed to the Homelessness Strategy. Members asked about the Cromwell Road, Redhill development of 32 one and two bedroom private rent flats. A proportion of these flats (to be confirmed) would be let at below market rents to assist lower income households, with tenancies offered for up to three years.

Additional emergency accommodation – It was confirmed that options of additional emergency accommodation were being investigated in the borough for larger families. This was more cost effective than private bed and breakfast accommodation and would keep families with children in the Borough, at local schools and with access to family and support networks. It was harder to secure support when placed out of Borough such as in Croydon or Crawley. The Leader, Councillor Brunt, said that if there was surplus accommodation available this could be used on a chargeable basis by other local authorities. Following Member questions it was confirmed that there were some temporary accommodation units in Tadworth but most of the temporary accommodation was in the south of the Borough which had the greatest area of need. Those in the north of the Borough could find themselves in the south of the Borough for a time.

Priorities in Homelessness Strategy Action Plan 2022 – 2027 – Members questioned the range of accommodation options and why improving access to accommodation was considered a lower priority 4? It was confirmed by officers that all priorities had equal weight and it was Agreed to list as four objectives rather than four priorities.

Work with partners –  the effective work with partners such as with Transform Housing & Support and YMCA East Surrey was highlighted by the Leader of the Council; £350k of Section 106 money had been secured to provide more supported accommodation for young people in the Borough.

Quality of housing – Members asked about the local housing allowance (LHA) which covered the cost of only below average rents in the area and risked applicants being placed in lower cost and poorer quality private sector rented housing. It was noted that properties were offered with the standard requirements that came with assured shorthold tenancies such as gas and electricity checks. The Council could use discretionary housing budget to bridge some gaps, if assessed and required. This benefits cap affected larger families as there was a shortage of larger accommodation.

Empty office blocks – empty office space was also under consideration as a future option for accommodation as part of quality conversions or builds. A registered provider had recently purchased a quality office block in the Borough for a proposed residential build for permanent accommodation.

RESOLVED – that the Committee:

1.    Endorses the activities and actions to tackle homelessness set out in the Homelessness Review at Annex 1 and the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027 at Annex 2, the Action Plan at Annex 3; Equality Impact Assessment at Annex 4; and

2.     Provides observations for consideration by the Executive set out in this Committee’s Minute 49 of 9 December 2021 meeting, emphasising the need for further accommodation in the Borough with a wider mix and quality of homes and purchase of property, where possible.