Agenda item

Report No: OAS/SE/18/030

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Mildmay-White provided Report No: OAS/SE/18/030, which presented the West Suffolk’s draft Housing Strategy (Appendix 1) and draft Tenancy Strategy (Appendix 2). 

A review of the Housing Strategywas due in 2018.  By adopting a new strategy the Councils would be aligning its priorities with the Strategic Framework 2018-2020 and responding to new legislation and additional duties.  Attached to the report were a number of appendices relating to the Housing Strategy which provided additional information:

-           Appendix A:  Was an illustrative summary of the types of housing available as well as the councils role in supporting the delivery and availability of each of these options.

-           Appendix B: Sets out data relating to West Suffolk’s population and housing that had supported the development of the strategy.

-           Appendix C: The implementation plan would identify the main tasks needed to increase and improve the provision of appropriate housing over the next five years.  The plan was being developed during the consultation period and would be finalised once the consultation had concluded.

-           Appendix D: provided an overview of the Equality Impact Assessment.  No negative impacts as a result of the strategy had  been identified.

The strategy had been informed by an engagement exercise that included Councillor workshops and a consultation event with key partners.  The formal consultation was taking place for a six week period between 9 October and 20 November 2018 and involved an online survey that was available on the councils webpages.

As at 5 November 2018, 21 responses had been received and there was strong support for the priorities and actions set out in the strategy and for the issues that the council was addressing.  Specific comments had been received that relate to affordable housing, the need for appropriate housing for specific groups and the importance of infrastructure and transport to support the needs of individuals and communities.

A review of the Tenancy Strategywas also due in 2018.  The Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to produce a Tenancy Strategy that outlines how councils and registered providers approached issues which affected tenants living in the area. 

Informal discussions had taken place with registered providers operating in West Suffolk about the proposed changes.  As with the Housing Strategy, the formal consultation was taking place for a six week period between 9 October and 20 November 2018 and involved an online survey that was available on the councils webpages.

As at 5 November 2018, two responses had been received which would help the council continue to develop how it worked with registered providers and assist tenants living in West Suffolk.

The Housing Strategyand Tenancy Strategy, together with any feedback or comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, would be considered by the Joint Executive (Cabinet) Committee on 11 December 2018.

The Committee considered the report and the attached appendices in detail and asked a number of questions, to which comprehensive responses were provided.  In particular discussions were held on homelessness and rough sleepers; the number of new homes needed by 2031 and where the figures came from; who set the criteria for affordable housing and rents set above the Local Housing Allowances by registered providers.

In response to a question raised regarding rough sleepers and how these could be reported, members were informed to use “StreetLink”, which was a national system set up to help end rough sleeping by enabling members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that could support them (www.streetlink.org.uk).

In response to a questions raised regarding the Housing Forum, members were informed that the Housing Forum met on a monthly basis, which was more intelligence led as well as weekly to discuss all of those who were rough sleepers.

Members referred to paragraph 1.2.1 of the report, and questioned what the number was of rural houses being delivered, and suggested including the figures in the draft Housing Strategy.  Officers agreed to provide a written response setting out the breakdown between rural and urban houses, and would incorporate the figures into the Housing Strategy.

Members discussed the number of consultation responses currently received, and suggested promoting the consultation more through social media outlets, to which officers agreed to look into.

Councillor Simon Brown then moved the recommendations, this was duly seconded by Councillor John Burns, and with the vote being unanimous, it was:

          RECOMMENDED: 

That Draft West Suffolk Housing Strategy and the Draft West Suffolk Tenancy Strategy, attached as Appendix 1 and 2 to Report No: OAS/SE/18/030, be approved by Joint Executive (Cabinet) on 11 December 2018 and Council on 18 December 2018, where appropriate, subject to comments made by the Committee during the meeting.