Issue - meetings

RESOLVED – that the East Herts Homeless Review and Strategy 2013-2018 be adopted.

(see also Minute 421)

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report seeking the adoption of the Council’s new Homeless Review and Strategy 2013 – 18, following internal and external consultation.

The Executive recalled that the draft Strategy had been considered by Community Scrutiny Committee on 24 September 2013 and the Executive on 1 October 2013.  The draft Strategy had been supported by both for the purposes of consultation with external partners and stakeholders.

The Executive Member advised that the process of consultation had now been completed.  The draft Strategy had been welcomed and agreed by partners and there were no significant recommended changes.  The Strategy and Action Plan were detailed in the Executive Member’s report now submitted.

The Executive recommended the Strategy as now submitted.

RECOMMENDED – that the East Herts Homeless Review and Strategy 2013-2018 be adopted.

RESOLVED – that (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)     the East Herts Homeless Strategy 2013-18 be approved for the purposes of consultation.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report seeking approval for the East Herts Homeless Strategy 2013 – 18 for the purposes of public consultation. The Executive noted that, since the last Homeless Strategy had been adopted, significant changes had given rise to the need for a review.  The most significant recent changes impacting on homelessness had been the Localism Act 2012 and the significant welfare reform changes primarily affecting benefit eligibility.  The updated Strategy provided more detail on the actual changes resulting from these two pieces of legislation which were likely to have a direct and indirect effect on homelessness.

In response to comments of Members, the Executive Member referred to the “Here to Help” element of the Council’s Corporate Priorities and the role all Members had in reminding residents of the advice available to them.

The Community Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 24 September 2013, had supported the Strategy.  Following the consultation period, it was noted that the Strategy would be submitted to the Council meeting in December 2013, via the Executive, for approval.

The Executive approved the proposals as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)      the East Herts Homeless Strategy 2013-18 be approved for the purposes of consultation.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report setting out the Council’s new Homeless Review and Strategy for 2013-18, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted and within the supporting Essential Reference Papers.

In response to a query from Councillor C Woodward regarding achieving affordable housing targets of 40%, the Manager of Housing Services confirmed that this target was regularly achieved on eligible sites but acknowledged that sometimes, these could be negotiated down.  If all sites were included, then the figure did come in at less than 40%. 

Councillor N Symonds referred to unscrupulous practices of some private landlords and asked what the Council could do about this.  The Manager of Housing Services explained the associated difficulties but essentially, the Council did not have a registration scheme for private rented landlords and that there was a lack of properties in multiple occupation.

In response to query from Councillor R Beeching, the Manager of Housing Services provided clarification of the definitions of rough sleepers and sofa surfers.  She also explained the difference between housing applications and housing acceptances.

In response to a query from Councillor M Wood regarding the number of homeless applications this year, the Manager of Housing Services provided an update.

The Committee supported the Homeless Strategy as a basis for consultation with external partners and stakeholders.

RESOLVED – that the Homeless Strategy 2013-2018 be supported as a basis for consultation with external partners and stakeholders and that the Executive be so informed.