Agenda item

This report introduces the Housing Strategy 2015-18, which replaces the Housing Strategy approved by Cabinet in 2011.  The Housing Strategy sets out Medway’s strategic approach for housing services and details how the Council will enable the delivery of these services.  The strategy provides a comprehensive picture of current housing needs and demands in Medway and sets out how the Council and its partners will counter existing and anticipated challenges.

Discussion:

The Head of Strategic Housing introduced this report which set out details of the draft Housing Strategy 2015-18, which replaced the Housing Strategy approved by Cabinet in 2011. The Housing Strategy set out the Council’s strategic approach for housing services and detailed how the Council would enable the delivery of these services. It also provided a comprehensive picture of current housing needs and demands in Medway and set out how the Council and its partners would counter existing and anticipated challenges.

Committee Members raised a number of points and questions including:

Format of the draft Strategy  – there were some typographical errors within the document and there needed to be consistency between the four strategic priorities, the actions to achieve the strategic priorities and the overall Action Plan and this needed to be addressed for the version of the Strategy being submitted to Cabinet on 16 December 2014.

Clarification of the role of the Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI)  – the Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that this was a national body including membership from a range of organisations including the Homes and Communities Agency, the building industry and care providers, the aim of which was to provide guidance on design standards to achieve age-inclusive housing. With regards to the planning process, this guidance was included within the Council’s affordable housing standards and S106 guidance.

A potential lack of ambition within the draft Strategy  – it was suggested that the housing waiting list would not be dealt with by the actions contained within strategic priority one (increase the supply of suitable and affordable homes) and that the Council should do more in relation to bringing empty homes back into use. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that there was a limit to what the Council could do in relation to empty homes.  However, it worked with partners including Housing Associations to take the necessary steps to reduce empty homes by working with residents and owners and with the Council’s Derelict Property Officer within the planning service.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)  – it was suggested that there was a wider issue regarding rogue landlords in Medway and that further partnership working was required to deliver better outcomes. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that the Council did take action against landlords and that recently there had been two successful prosecutions with a further 14 cases pending.

Social isolation  – it was recognised that housing had an important role to play in reducing social isolation. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed the linkages between health and housing and the partnership working between the Housing Department and Public Health in relation to this issue.

Anti Social Behaviour  – further consideration was requested to the use of the community trigger to deal with anti social behaviour. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that work was ongoing with the Council’s Community Officers in relation to this issue.

Forthcoming Housing Scrutiny Task Group  – it was suggested that consideration should be given to the role this Task Group could play in terms of informing the Housing Strategy. The Head of Strategic Housing acknowledged the role of the Council’s Task Groups in delivering improvements to housing.

Format of the covering report  – concern was expressed regarding the options section set out in the covering report given there was a statutory duty to produce a Housing Strategy.

The level of supply of social housing  – concern was expressed regarding the growth in demand for private rented housing, enabling  landlords to pick and choose their tenants. This was coupled with short term tenancies with the result that  some families may be required to find new accommodation on a regular basis. In addition, in some areas of Medway identical housing attracted  substantially different rental levels,  where private rented housing sat alongside council housing. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that the Council was working hard to deliver more affordable homes.

Clarification of Medway’s affordable housing requirements  – Members sought clarification between the figures provided in paragraph 4.1 of the draft Strategy given that different figures had been referred to at a recent Planning Committee meeting. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that this information would be clarified for the Cabinet report on 16 December 2014.

Clarification of the number of benefit claimants moving into the area and AMAT’s position in Medway as a housing provider  – clarification was sought outside the meeting on the information provided in the penultimate paragraph 3.2 of the draft Strategy. Concern was expressed about the amount of housing provided by AMAT and the need for alternative providers to come forward in Medway. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that AMAT was a private company and would make its own decisions as to where it would provide housing. However, the Council continued to work with other providers to develop in Medway, and that the Council encouraged a mix of providers in Medway.

Clarification of the role of First Stop (paragraph 6.2.4 of the draft Strategy)  – the Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that this was a new national initiative.  There was currently limited provision of this advice service and that the Council was working with providers to develop the service.

Clarification of action point 2.16 (Actions to achieve Strategic Priority Two)  – whether this applied to all housing or just affordable housing. The Head of Strategic Housing confirmed that the scope of the Housing Strategy related to affordable housing and that wider planning policy provided overall standards for housing.

Decision:

The Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the Draft Housing Strategy 2015/2018 and endorsed it, with its views as set out above, prior to its submission to Cabinet for adoption subject to:

(i)                 Clarification of Medway’s affordable housing requirement.

(ii)               Clarification of the information regarding the number of benefit claimants moving into the area.