Agenda item

This report presents the draft Homelessness Prevention Strategy for 2014-2016 which sets out how Medway Council, in partnership with stakeholders, will tackle and prevent homelessness.  The draft strategy, which will be considered by Cabinet on 11 February 2014, aims to influence services which contribute to preventing homelessness, such as education and health. 

Discussion:

The Council’s Head of Strategic Housing introduced the report by advising that the draft Homelessness Prevention Strategy set out how Medway Council in partnership with stakeholders would tackle and prevent homelessness. The Strategy would influence services which contribute to preventing homelessness such as education and health. The Strategy was a flexible document through to 2016 and would be regularly reviewed to ensure it remained relevant.

The Homelessness Act 2002 placed a statutory obligation on local authorities to undertake a review of homelessness in their area and, based on the findings, to develop and publish a strategy to tackle and prevent homelessness at least every five years.

The Strategy had been developed in a challenging climate. Individually factors such as the economy, unemployment, the welfare system and difficult housing market conditions could disproportionately affect vulnerable people and increase the risk of homelessness. The Strategy also recognised that homelessness is a complex problem with multiple causes requiring flexible solutions and the delivery of innovative services in order to reach the increasing number of people affected.

Members then raised a number of issues and questions including:

·                    Homelessness Prevention Strategy Action Plan 2014/16 - the Strategy was welcomed, with a specific request to clarify targets in association with the Government “Making Every Contact Count” Standard.

·                    Private Sector Housing - the Committee asked if details were provided within the narrative about the work being done to provide support and advice to tenants of Landlords who decide to serve a notice to quit in order to sell their property as this seemed to be happening with increasing frequency. In response to a concern about the advice being provided to tenants by housing officers the Committee was assured that advice provided by officers to tenants in receipt of a Section 21 notice was always intended to clarify the legal position and the process involved. Officers also give advice on how tenants can manage the transition from one property to another and will signpost them to other useful organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau. It was noted that private sector tenancies are time limited and that the option of a Council house was not available to the vast majority of tenants whose tenancy would be ending in the private sector. Officers would always assist in identifying the range of possible options including Home Bonds, Deposit Schemes and Debt advice.

·                    Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s)  - Members sought clarification around the extent of the current inspection regime for non-licensable HMO’s. Officers referred Members to the recent Member briefing note provided following the last Committee in which the details of the regime were set out.  Officers were able to confirm that Medway was one of a minority of local authorities who have undertaken inspections of both licensable and non-licensable HMO’s.  The programme targets medium and high risk HMOs. Officers confirmed that the majority of HMOs have been inspected and that action will always be taken in relation to those defined a Category 1 hazard.

·                    Members noted the proposed action in relation to rogue landlords. Officers confirmed that additional Government funding had been secured to target specific rogue landlords.

·                    Members asked that the list of trigger points be amended to include debt and employment on page 79.

·                    Volunteers - in respect of the Strategic Aim 2 Members asked for clarification of the item under the heading of Housing Solutions Service in respect of the volunteers who could assist with the development of service mapping. Officers confirmed that this network would comprise a range of partners and stakeholders from voluntary and third sector organisations many of whom are part of the Homelessness Forum.

·                    Rough Sleepers – Members welcomed the proposed assessment of need for a winter shelter, which would be taken forward under the strategy.

·                    Home Bond – the Committee discussed the refusal of some landlords to accept Home Bond clients and noted that they could not be compelled to do so. Officers emphasised that Home Bond clients needed to be very proactive in terms of exploring a variety of options, letting agents and locations and that the Council was working to improve the information available to reinforce this message and to manage client’s expectations.

·                    Another Member advised that he regularly dealt with enquiries from potentially homeless people and thanked Officers for their competent, conscientious and prompt responses.

 Decision:

That the Cabinet be recommended to approve the Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2014-2016 and the actions set out in the Action Plan, taking into account the comments of the Committee.