The Head of Housing and Communities introduced the report which gave a summary of work carried out by Housing and Health Services.  She drew attention to statutory responsibilities and prevention work. The Head of Housing and Communities highlighted the successful outcomes around rough sleepers which was a new function over the previous three years that had grown with the support of central Government funding.  She advised the allocation of funding from the Government for the next three years had just been received but was currently embargoed, and details would be released as soon as possible.

The Chair drew attention to topic areas the Committee might wish to consider in the future including the two new Government white papers, one on Levelling Up and one on housing in general. Issues to be considered within those papers were the ability to fine rough sleepers, the expansion of the Right to Buy scheme and statutory licensing for private sector landlords.

Members asked questions and raised points including:

·         What could the Community Housing Grant fund be spent on?;

·         how many empty dwellings were there currently in the borough?;

·         clarification of process in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, if refugees had to move;

·         some issues crossed over into other Service Committee and Sub-Committees;

·         clarification on what ‘firm deliveries’ of housing meant as at the bottom of paragraph 4 on page 10 of the report;

·         suggested a RAG rating system in order to manage projects and ensure there was enough resource;

·         Service Committees were decision-making and the committee should not need a RAG rating report but did need to be made aware of issues  that might need directing to the Policy and Resource Committee for additional resource;

·         needed to consider how performance was monitored and then make decisions;

·         Housing and Health Committee held a heavy responsibility for the community and it was important the members of the Committee had training on the interventions that could be used, in able to support Officers carrying out the work;

·         Members of the Housing and Health Committee should have appropriate training such as Children and Vulnerable Adult safeguarding training;

·         requested a regular update on roughsleepers, including those using tents;

·         should refer back to the Constitution Working Group that Service Committees might need to consider information reports in order to make decisions; and

·         issues could be raised with officers outside of meetings.

In response, the Head of Housing and Communities explained that the Community Housing Grant fund was ringfenced for community-led housing enablement work such as architects fees or scoping work, funding had to be applied for and was then assessed. The Chair added that the grant could not be used for development.  The Head of Housing and Communities agreed to circulate the current number of empty dwellings to the committee.  She explained that there had been two re-matches of Ukranian families in the Borough and the newly matched homes had to be re-assessed to ensure compliance with the criteria.

The Head of Housing and Communities explained that firm deliveries of housing were schemes that had been granted planning permission and a registered provider was in place.  Those schemes ‘in the pipeline’ had planning permission but no housing association allocated yet.

The Head of Housing and Communities said that relevant information would be reported through the committee and may feed into revised policies and strategies, and the Committee would need to consider how it was delivered in Swale.  She said there were regular monitoring indicators, some of which were out of the Council’s control, and that quarterly information reports could be provided without operational detail.

In response to a query on the breakdown in the homing of Ukranian refugees, the Head of Housing and Communities explained that the Homes for Ukraine scheme was different to the family scheme that sponsored their own family members.  She said that four months in, and heading towards the initial six month placement, there was a re-matching process into the homes of other volunteers, for those refugees that needed it and if not matched they would then be placed in the private rental sector through employment or benefit-related funding.  Otherwise, they may be declared as homeless and processed as any other homeless family, and there had only been one family in this position in Swale to date. Three year visas had been granted to Ukranian refugees to enable them to stay, work and claim benefits in the UK.  The Head of Housing and Communities stressed that feedback was that most families would prefer to be in the Ukraine and were grateful for the support being given in the UK.  The Chair added that many Ukranian refugees had key worker skills.

During the discussion on training, the Chair said that the safeguarding training for children and for adults should be delivered separately as the subjects were distressing. The Senior Democratic Services Officer confirmed that the Member Development Working Group had highlighted Safeguarding training for members as a priority and this would be arranged.

The Head of Housing and Communities advised that currently there were six known rough sleepers in the Borough although this figure was fluid.  She explained some of the reasons why accommodation had not been taken up or kept by rough sleepers and said that during the winter months, accommodation would be offered again to those that had not taken it up previously.  Referring to those living in tents, the Head of Housing and Communities advised that it was an issue, support was being offered and the relevant agencies were involved.

Resolved:

(1)  That the report be noted.