Agenda item

To consider the progress made in respect of the outcomes identified in the Housing Strategy Action Plan. 

97.1           The report of the Head of Community Services provided a summary of the key activities for the first three months of year two of the Housing Strategy Action Plan (January-March 2018).  Members were asked to consider the progress made to date in respect of the outcomes identified in the Action Plan.

97.2           The Head of Community Services advised that the Housing Team had been peer reviewed in 2017 with a view to ultimately reaching the gold standard of the homelessness prevention programme.  The team had recently achieved the bronze award and been invited to the national awards ceremony in July.  In terms of other highlights, with regard to Priority 1, it was noted that an additional member of staff had been employed using new burdens funding associated with the Homelessness Reduction Act.  As well as helping to meet the demands of the new statutory duties, the Officer would be working on a private sector landlord scheme to increase the accommodation available to residents.  In respect of Priority 2, the new extended homeless duties within the Homelessness Reduction Bill had taken effect from 1 April 2018 and this had been a primary focus for the housing service within the last few months.  There had been a slight increase in applications to date but this would need to be monitored over the course of the year.  In terms of the action to stop use of bed and breakfast accommodation, Members were informed that, whilst there had been an increase in the length of time people were staying in bed and breakfast accommodation, the number of people being accommodated had reduced.  The Head of Community Services provided assurance that Officers were looking at alternative ways to assist those people.  It was also noted that the standard methodology for calculating housing had now been confirmed through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the county was in a position to progress the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) in accordance with Action P3.1.

97.3           A Member noted that the average number of days spent in bed and breakfast accommodation had increased and this had been attributed to the reluctance of landlords to take on high risk tenants.  She felt it would be hard to encourage private landlords to take on these tenants due to genuine concerns about whether they would receive their rent on time etc.  The Housing Services Manager clarified that the Housing team was currently having problems persuading registered providers to accept tenants who had previously had difficulties.  It was intended to work with social landlords – as opposed to private landlords – to take on lower risk tenants in order to cultivate a relationship and build trust to encourage them to come to the local authority for tenants.  A Member questioned why the costs of bed and breakfast accommodation in 2017/18 were yet to be confirmed and was advised that this was because there was no average cost; it was down to supply and demand i.e. the less rooms available, the more expensive they would be.  It was difficult to forecast what the cost would be this year but bed and breakfast accommodation was approximately £85,000 for the previous financial year.  The Head of Community Services also pointed out that Cheltenham and Gloucester had greater access to that type of accommodation so Tewkesbury Borough was often at the back of the queue.  It was recognised that bed and breakfast accommodation was expensive and was not good for tenants so a concerted effort was being made to move away from that type of accommodation.  There were a range of potential alternatives, e.g. modular housing, and Officers were working with registered providers with the intention of bringing something forward later in the year. 

97.4           A Member drew attention to Action P1.2 in relation to identifying Tewkesbury Borough Council-owned land suitable for future housing development and questioned whether either of the projects on the two former garage sites at Staverton and Winchcombe were for modular housing.  The Head of Community Services advised that Officers were still working with the registered providers to consider the options; however, the Staverton site would lend itself more to modular housing than the Winchcombe site.  The Member felt there was a conflict between the local authority and registered providers and he raised concern that sites had been put forward in his Ward for use for social housing that had subsequently been put onto the open market.  The Deputy Chief Executive confirmed that discussions were taking place with Severn Vale Housing Society about how best to develop the sites.  The Asset Management and Community Services teams had been advised that they would need to set out a series of options when presenting reports to Members in order for them to make a decision which would clearly include socio-economic benefits as well as the potential for a capital receipt.  This would give the ability to fully consider what was needed in the area.  Officers were aware of Members’ views about wanting to showcase modular housing in the borough and Rooftop Housing - the social housing provider in ownership of the Staverton site - was very keen to explore developing using modular construction techniques.

97.5           A Member sought clarification as to the level of new burdens funding and whether this was of real value.  The Head of Community Services confirmed that the funding was £63,000 for the first year and reduced slightly for year 2; it had paid for an additional Officer so it did have value.  With regard to Action P1.4 in relation to identifying long-term empty homes and bringing vacant properties back into use, a Member queried whether this included empty habitable spaces above shops.  He also questioned whether there was a correlation between the empty homes action plan and planning guidance.  The Head of Community Services indicated that he could not comment on planning policy but confirmed that “empty homes” was a term used to describe any empty properties including flats above shops.  The Housing team worked closely with Planning colleagues to bring empty properties back into use.  Another Member indicated that a number of houses within his Ward were empty due to transition and he questioned whether discussions had taken place with housing associations around hard to let properties etc.  The Head of Community Services explained that some properties were empty due to repairs etc. but there were very few properties in the borough that were hard to let.  Discussions had taken place with Severn Vale Housing Society about whether the development of certain sites would free up others for use as temporary accommodation, particularly in the case of one bedroom properties. 

97.6           A Member expressed concern that the red text within the Action Plan, used to show the progress that had been made since the last report, varied considerably in length for each action and did not necessarily correlate with the status column.  The Deputy Chief Executive indicated that he had also picked up on this and it would be addressed in future reports.  He advised that some projects would be ongoing for 12-24 months and, although they were on track to be delivered within that timescale, he appreciated that Members would benefit from more information about the progress that had been made at that point in time.  It was subsequently

RESOLVED          That the progress made to date in respect of the outcomes identified in the Housing Strategy Action Plan be NOTED.