Agenda item

Following consultation on the draft homelessness strategy, the Director of Housing submits a report on the new homelessness strategy which sets out the Council’s vision and goals for preventing and addressing homelessness in Leicester. The report on the Homelessness Review and Strategy is being brought to the Overview Select Committee in response to their request for the strategy to be shared with them.

The Director of Housing submitted a report on the new homelessness strategy which was presented by Julie Turner, Business Change Manager, Housing. The Chair welcomed the opportunity that the Overview Select Committee had to discuss the strategy and asked whether the council was in a position to fund the strategy and secure the anticipated outcomes.

The Assistant City Mayor of Housing responded that the strategy was not a spending review and the council would continue to spend as appropriate to keep people off the streets. If demand increased and more money was needed, he would approach the City Mayor and the executive for additional funds. The strategy was about preventing homelessness and providing support to those who do become homeless.

A Member reported that she had visited the Income Management Team recently and had been very impressed at the work that was taking place there.

A Member questioned whether it was realistic to set targets in the light of the roll out of universal credit which was shortly to be implemented in Leicester for new claimants of working age. The Business Change Manager responded that the council was part of a partnership; key milestones would be set up and they would be working to those milestones.

A suggestion was made for tenancy rules to be discussed with tenants and for preventative work to take place to help people understand, for example, the importance of paying their rent.  Concerns were raised that the Government had cut the funding to the council year on year resulting in an exacerbation of homelessness issues. A request was made for the Assistant City Mayor to write to the Government expressing strong concerns about the impact that the reduction in Government funding was having on the homeless in Leicester.

Councillor Cutkelvin commented that if she was Chair of the Housing Scrutiny Commission she would seeks assurances that everything possible was being done to mitigate homelessness and that the council policies and practices (for example with the bedroom tax) were not making overcrowding worse.

At a recent housing conference, comments had been made that homelessness and rough sleeping were the responsibilities of everyone and all the different agencies and not just the local authorities and assurances were also sought as to how partnership working was developing and strengthening going forward.

A Member asked whether the council had some ability to mitigate issues around universal credit for people who rented their home from housing associations or private landlords. The Assistant City Mayor said that the Housing Association had different policies to the council but he hoped that the would continue to support their tenants through the changes. A report on universal credit was coming to the Executive and they would be happy to share that with the Overview Select Committee.  In relation to Bedroom Tax, the council had agreed to pay a discretionary housing payment (DHP) for three months where tenants were submitting a bid for a smaller property, but it seemed to be particularly inappropriate to continue to pay DHP for individuals to continue to live, for example, in a three bed house on their own who had not sought to find alternative accommodation, when families were in desperate need of a larger home and were currently living in an overcrowded property.

Concerns were raised that the introduction of universal credit in Leicester, would lead to numerous challenges and people were urged to approach the council for help as early as possible if they realised that they were in financial difficulties. Members commented that the council needed to give advice on prioritising debts and it was suggested that an information sheet could be made available to new tenants on the important of paying their rent and other important bills.

The Chair referred to the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and questioned whether the council would be found to be compliant if there was an audit. The Business Change Manager responded that the provisions of the act came into force that week and work was ongoing. They believed that they were fully compliant and there is ongoing work to implement the provisions of the Act and improve services. The act placed more responsibilities on local authorities and most of them were of the view that the money given by the Government was insufficient for councils to fulfil all those responsibilities.

The Chair drew the discussion to a close and asked Members to send any further questions to officers and the Assistant City Mayor for Housing.

AGREED:

                   that the report be noted.