Agenda item

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report that highlighted successful performance on the third year of the Homeless and Homeless Prevention Strategy Action Plan 2008 – 2013.  The report also presented Members with a review of the Action Plan.

Members were advised that the situation regarding the East Herts homeless was continuously fluid and Officers were closely monitoring the situation.  The Committee was advised that there were a number of significant changes to legislation that were likely to have an impact on homelessness and the ability of the Housing Options Service to access the private sector to prevent homelessness.

The Committee was advised that access to the private sector was becoming increasingly challenging and that this was the primary prevention tool for Housing Options.  The Localism Bill would also provide the Council with increased powers to discharge its homeless duty by use of the private sector.   

Members were advised that Housing Associations would shortly begin offering fixed term tenancies, with an option to review the situation at the end of the fixed term, rather than the current lifetime tenancies.  Housing Associations were currently developing policies regarding eligibility.   A proportion of tenancies would also be offered at up to 80% of the full market rent. 

The Committee was advised that Officers were particularly aware of the changes to local housing allowance and were working with the Council’s Benefits Service to identify those at risk of losing their accommodation where the reduction in housing allowance may make their current accommodation unaffordable.   At particular risk were applicants under the age of 35 currently in one bedroom accommodation who would have their housing allowance reduced to a single room rate.

Officers were also concerned that this included males from broken relationships with access rights to children only being eligible for housing where there were single rooms with shared facilities.

Councillor N Symonds expressed concerns regarding Herts Young Homeless Group not offering the best help to a number of cases recently involving young people.  Members were advised that Herts Young Homeless Group was primarily funded by Hertfordshire County Council and the Crouchfield Trust.  East Herts Council did not currently provide funding to support housing assistance and where this had occurred, the amounts were small.

The Committee was advised that there were a number of positive stories relating to the work of Herts Young Homeless Group.  Members were advised however, that this organisation was incredibly stretched in the current financial climate in terms of the number of young people being referred to them.

In response to a further query from Councillor Symonds, Members were advised that Officers were aware of problems in relation to private landlords being reluctant to accept tenants on housing benefit.

The Committee was also made aware of problems with Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) applicants and Housing Associations often being unwilling to take the risk of housing these applicants.  Officers did attempt to secure places for MAPPA applicants in the private sector if the Housing Associations were unable to assist.  Officers also had to consider such cases carefully from a community safety perspective.

The Committee received the report.

RESOLVED – that the report be noted.