Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a presentation to provide an overview of the service and key challenges.

The Director of Housing presented an overview for the Commission, and it was noted that:

·       Leicester City Council is the largest landlord with around 19.5k properties of the 145k homes in the city and is within the top twenty authorities in the country with the most housing stock.

·       Council homes generate over £90m through rent and service charges with an excellent rate of income collection. The Housing Revenue Account budget is ringfenced to provide services to tenants and enable investment in housing stock and estates through the capital programme and such things as the public realm & environmental budget. Services include tenancy management, support and advice services, repairs, voids etc. The housing division also provide additional services including homelessness, rough sleeping, private rented sector support and advice as well as an empty homes team but these are not funded through the HRA.

·       The ratio of council properties has significantly reduced over recent decades due to the Right to Buy scheme and demand for affordable housing is at a record high with over 6k people and families on the housing register. The Authority is however proud to be delivering additional housing to meet need in the city, providing 1,100 new affordable homes in the last term and on track to deliver the commitment of 1,500 affordable homes throughout 2023-2027.

·       The housing division receives around 5k approaches each year from individuals and families facing homelessness and has a 60% success rate with its aim to prevent people becoming homeless by continuing to remain in their accommodation. If this is not possible, temporary accommodation is provided by the Authority and the service develop a plan to find suitable permanent accommodation.

·       In 2022 the Authority declared a housing crisis due to the lack of suitable affordable housing to meet demand in the city & with over 500 families and 100 individuals currently now living in temporary accommodation. Full Council recently approved £45m to deliver 225 new temporary accommodation units and 125 leased units in addition to the acquisition and new build programme to alleviate pressures of people stating in temporary accommodation for long periods.

·       Leicester has established strong positive partnership working with other public sector organisations and the VCSE sector to work collaboratively to provide support and services in the city, including a strong rough sleeper outreach offer as well as homelessness and drug and alcohol services.

·       Around 45k-50k of the 145k homes in the city are privately rented and the Authority has built relationships to ensure the market is driven to provide good quality and affordable homes through the development of the Private Rented Sector Strategy. The Local Housing Allowance has been adjusted nationally and should provide more opportunity for people on low incomes or benefits to acquire properties up to the thirtieth percentile of market rent in the PRS.

In response to questions and comments from Members, it was noted that:

·       The service aims to identify suitable properties for individuals and families to provide temporary accommodation in the locality they need for education and employment etc. The stark and sudden increase in people requiring temporary accommodation due to economic conditions and S21 notices can sometimes make it difficult to achieve but additional properties are being acquired to increase availability of stock.

·       On average people remain in temporary accommodation for around four months although this can vary significantly depending on the permanent accommodation being sought and is worsening due to increasing demand. It was further highlighted by the Deputy City Mayor for Housing and Neighbourhoods that temporary accommodation is a rising trend with families in some parts of the country living in temporary accommodation for years.

·       Internal resource is utilised where possible to enable voids to be brought back into use although external contractors are sometimes used. There are over 400 craft staff internally although there have been challenges with recruitment as seen consistently across the wider construction sector - although the 50 vacancies last year have now reduced to 12 vacancies.

·       Declaring a housing crisis has made the need for affordable housing a corporate priority with internal processes and boards established to enable cross divisional working to review possible opportunities for increasing affordable housing stock. The viability must be considered alongside the legal parameters of what is possible as there are restrictions on how the Authority can use Right to Buy receipts.

·       It is too early to determine the impact of the new government’s commitment to deliver 1.5m homes as to whether they will be affordable or social, but changes have been made with the creation of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Leicester City Council have joined with the other top 20 largest local authorities in the county in writing to the Secretary of State and launching an interim report on demands to protect the Housing Revenue Account and influence development of homes.

·       The housing register has not decreased despite investing to increase housing stock with over £150m during the last term and £200m committed for 2023-2027 as demand for affordable homes continues to grow. The people waiting in temporary accommodation are included in the numbers waiting on the housing register, and those who present as at risk of homelessness generally make an application too.

·       The additional £45m approved by Full Council is being utilised to acquire properties to meet demand. The service continues to identify and assess viability to purchase properties, including recently a large building of 134 units that will serve as homes for 126 individuals and remainder for families as well as a flow of two and three bedroom property acquisition each month.

·       The waiting times on the housing register varies dependent on banding and size of property. Information is regularly updated on who gets social housing and waiting lists and it was agreed that the latest information would be circulated to Members.

·       Repairs to broken lifts serving council properties are generally fixed within two working days but may occasionally take longer is waiting for parts etc. The service has a vulnerable tenants list to identify if there are risks in properties and Members were encouraged to ensure tenants are known to the service and that issues with lifts not operating are reported.

·       The housing allocations policy states the conditions of who is eligible to apply to the housing register. It was agreed that information would be shared with the commission on data of applications who are not eligible.

·       The introduction of the selective licensing scheme has not reduced the levels of privately rented homes in the city.

It was agreed that further information could be shared and discussed with the Commission on progress of lobbying central government and the allocation of the £45m to acquire additional temporary accommodation units.

AGREED:

·       The Commission noted the report.

·       Additional information requested to be circulated to the Commission.

·       Items be added to the draft work programme.