Agenda item

Question:

The Council’s Quarter 4 Performance Report notes that “the number of households in temporary accommodation excluding B&Bs increased from 135 in quarter 3 to 148 in quarter 4.”

The report also notes that the number of households now in B&B accommodation stands at 34 with 3 citizens rough sleeping.

Therefore, will the Cabinet Member inform Council:

1.         How many empty (void) Council homes the Council currently has;

2.         What proactive steps the Council is taking to prevent homelessness;

3.         How the Council is working to secure permanent and secure accommodation for homeless people in Powys; and

4.         How he believes the Council’s housing strategy will reduce the increase in homelessness?

Response by the Portfolio Holder:

For ease of reference I have repeated the questions asked.

1.    How many empty (void) Council homes the Council currently has;

2.    What proactive steps the Council is taking to prevent homelessness;

·         All clients who approach the Council because they consider themselves to be homeless or threatened with homelessness are assessed quickly to find out why they are in this position and what options there are to resolve any problems they may have.  This includes direct contact and will include where appropriate the agreement of a Personal Housing Plan, setting out the actions and responsibilities of both the client and the Council.  The aim is always to wherever possible try to prevent the loss of a home (for example by intervening with existing landlords or lenders to find solutions to the problem causing a loss of home such as rent or mortgage arrears).  The Council offers ‘Spend to Save’ loans to help people fund deposits for privately rented accommodation, provides social security and income management advice to help people be better able to pay for their accommodation and encourages other landlords – both social and private – to provide homes to those at risk of homelessness.

·         ‘Homes in Powys’ is being reviewed to consider balancing the need to give homeless households greater priority for permanent housing allocations, with the needs of non-homeless households who while not homeless may be in great need for a new home.  This review, by law, has to include a statutory twelve-week consultation and any proposed changes will need the approval of members.

·         Three Complex Needs fixed term (to March 2022) posts (funded from Substance Misuse Action Fund SMAF) have been recruited.  A fourth Complex Need worker is being recruited.  These officers will work with those clients with complex needs that need intense support to prevent them from becoming homeless.

·         Three fixed term (to March 2022) Homeless Support Officer posts (funded from Social Housing Grant) are currently being recruited.  These officers will work with people in Temporary Accommodation to help them find more permanent places in which to live and so prevent repeat homelessness.

·         Two officers have been seconded from Test and Trace for a limited period.  One officer will be assisting by contacting households who are homeless and in temporary accommodation to help and support those clients to find more permanent accommodation.  This work is already under way.  One officer will be assisting in the current review of the waiting list to make sure that all clients registered are still in need of social housing and that their details are up to date.  To date, 1,000 cases have already been reviewed. 

3.    How the Council is working to secure permanent and secure accommodation for homeless people in Powys;

·         Increasing net housing supply, which is the long term solution to resolving homelessness, will take time but it will be the only enduring solution to the housing market imbalances in Powys.  Around four fifths of homeless clients need smaller (one bedroom) accommodation.  In Powys, 6.5% of all 58,345 homes – equating to 3,794 - have one bedroom, of which 1,643 are owned by social landlords, 1,441 owned by private landlords and 710 are owner occupied.

·         The Council’s own development programme is to be rebalanced where possible and practicable towards smaller homes.  The current programme is on course to deliver 250 homes by 2025, with further schemes now being scoped to expand on that number.  Challenges include the availability of land at values that support social housing, the impact of phosphate control requirements in the south of the county and the inflation adversely affecting construction costs.

·         Welsh Government (WG) has increased the allocation of Social Housing Grant (SHG) to Powys which will allow more social housing to be provided in the county.  WG has advised that new build should be the priority for SHG but has accepted that SHG can be used for acquisitions to help address the increased demand for social homes created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

·         A task and finish group has started work with housing association partners to prioritise the acquisition and refurbishment of additional one bedroomed accommodation in the County.  An initial meeting has been held to consider practical options.

·         Housing Services has put in place enhanced, improved and quality assured processes to allow it to consider rigorously, equitably and with due regard to wider housing market implications, unintended consequences of market interventions, risks to the Council and value for money the use of existing properties to increase housing options for those who cannot, without help, find a home in the housing market.  These are the acquisition of homes for management and letting by the Council itself or by housing associations, encouraging landlords to rent directly to tenants by providing tenancy management and other forms of support and in special circumstances, leasing by the Council or housing associations of ‘good-to-go’ properties for sub-letting to clients for whom there are no other suitable or available accommodation options.

4.    How he believes the Council’s housing strategy will reduce the increase in homelessness?

The Council’s Housing Strategy includes a number of actions that will together help reduce the increase in homelessness.  These are summarised below.

Objective 1 – Providing additional social housing where appropriate will increase the housing opportunities across Powys.

Objective 2 – Helping people to be better able to keep and enjoy their homes

Objective 3 – Integrating housing policy with other policy areas as a way of making sure people who need help can get it as quickly and as effectively as practicable.