Agenda item

To consider a report (copy attached) by the Strategic Planning & Housing Manager which seeks the Committee to examine the progress made in delivering the revised Housing & Homelessness Strategy and Action Plan approved by County Council on 8^th December 2020.

 

10.10 – 10.50 a.m.

 

The Chair welcomed the Lead Member for Housing and Communities, Councillor Rhys Thomas along with officers to guide members through the agenda item.

 

The Lead Member guided members through the report (previously circulated), informing the Committee it provided information regarding the progress made in the delivery of the revised Housing & Homelessness Strategy and Action Plan approved by County Council on 8th December 2020. He informed members the Strategy had been put in place to continue to 2026. The Lead Member acknowledged the work of the previous Lead Members for the work completed in the last Council.

 

He informed members the delivery of the Action Plan was overseen by the Strategic Housing & Homelessness Group (SHHG), which was chaired by himself in his role as Lead Member for Housing & Communities. Membership of the Group comprised of Lead Members with responsibility for an area of housing or homelessness within their portfolios, relevant Heads of Service and the Strategic Planning & Housing Manager. The Group met every three months in order to monitor the strategy and share information. The document was a live one, regularly monitored and acted upon.  Members heard the Strategy was accompanied by a 41-point Action Plan. It set out in more detail the responsibilities of the various relevant teams within the Council and how they worked with partners to help to realise the Council’s vision for housing and homelessness. The Housing & Homelessness Strategy had a five-year lifespan (2021 – 2026) and would need to be reviewed by 2026.

 

In addition, the Strategic Planning and Housing Manager advised that a summary of the Strategy had been attached to the documents included in the agenda pack, a copy of the full strategy was available online to view. Accompanying the action plan was also a progress report on work for each separate action point. She stressed to members the Strategy was a key document for the authority, it was a corporate document that provided a framework for all work completed in relation to housing.

The Strategy identified six “Themes” which were priority areas for action to be targeted:

·         More homes to meet local need and demand;

·         Creating a supply of affordable homes;

·         Ensuring safe and healthy homes;

·         Preventing & ending homelessness in Denbighshire

·         Homes and support for vulnerable people;

·         Promoting and supporting communities.

 

Included in the report were notes on the key areas of progress. It was stressed a lot of good work and progress had and continued to be made. Close working across different services was key to delivering against each action point.

 

The Chair thanked the Lead Member and officers for the detailed report and introduction.

 

Responding to members’ questions, the Lead Member and officers advised that:

 

·         there were 316 households in emergency and temporary accommodation in the county. This was broken down to 184 households in emergency accommodation and 132 in temporary accommodation. During the last 12 months the service had supported 324 households into tenancies through the homelessness services. The number of households in emergency accommodation had tended to remain fairly static since the start of the Covid Pandemic. It had been observed the majority of households presenting as homeless were in the North of the County, a large proportion of households were accommodated in Rhyl.

·         Following completion of a housing development in Prestatyn, 14 apartments would be available for older residents/households in the community.  These would be allocated to people currently on the Single Access Route to Housing (SARTH) register.

·         Under occupancy had not been included in the action plan currently, officers agreed it would be a positive addition to include in the action plan.  Being able to have under occupied properties available to let to families by housing current occupants in appropriately sized accommodation would help realise the availability of family size homes.  However, this was a complex and sensitive area which could not be resolved overnight.

·         There was currently 3 known rough sleepers within the county. They each had various complex needs and had refused support from the service. Officers maintained a high level of daily communication with each individual. Officers were very proactive and supportive of individuals presenting as a rough sleeper. 

·         Households that resided in holiday homes/caravans were not included in homelessness statistics, as those households living in holiday accommodation also had a permanent home address.

·         The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) restructure would take effect from the 1^st April. Following the restructure the details of appointments or changes to posts would be made to the document. The Housing Development Programme would form part of the Head of Communications and Customers Services role as of the 1^st April 2023.

·         A number of factors including the Covid Pandemic, had delayed the completion of projects within the Housing Development Programme. Members heard a number of housing projects were due to be completed in the near future.

·         there had been a delay in the delivery of the Local Development Plan due to a number of issues. Work to develop and adopt a new Plan continued and was progressing well.

·         they were aware of a number of households becoming homeless due to landlords deciding to sell properties. Members heard the Authority did provide advice about the private sector leasing scheme. Communication with the landlords encouraging them to join that scheme did take place. The target was to have 80 landlords on the scheme within the next 5 years. It was stressed this target would be a challenge to achieve.

·         The private sector leasing scheme was a Welsh Government scheme that guaranteed landlords rent at the local housing allowance rate with a small management fee on top. That would be covered over a 5-20 year lease. There was a guarantee the property would be returned in the same condition as it was first leased at. Funding was received from Welsh Government to manage that scheme. Marketing of this scheme was hoped to take place over social media and communications with landlords.

·         Statutory duty started at 56 days before households were made homeless. Prevention and early intervention was seen as a priority to support individuals and be a better service.

·         Officers also provided tenants with ongoing support to maintain tenancy in rented accommodation. Members heard about an early intervention and prevention contract run through Shelter and Clwyd Alyn called My Home Denbighshire. This contract also had a responsibility to reduce the risk of homelessness.

 

The Lead Member and Officers outlined their ambitions for delivering the Strategy, these included: maintaining Denbighshire’s position as being the highest performing authority for affordable housing per head of population, acquiring resources to complete projects and schemes, continue the partnership working to deliver against the action plan, progress in implementing the Local Development Plan, a reduction in the number of individuals entering the homelessness service by 15% year on year over the next five years and ensuring more affordable housing being available.

 

Members thanked the officers for the detailed debate and answers to comments and questions.  

 

At the conclusion of an in-depth discussion the Committee:

 

Resolved:  subject to the above observations 

 

(i)   to receive and confirm the progress made to date in delivering the revised Housing and Homelessness Strategy and Action Plan; and

(ii) agree to continue to monitor the delivery of the Housing and Homelessness Strategy Action Plan on a six-monthly basis.