Agenda item

The Housing Options Manager presented the update on the Bolsover Housing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027 (the ‘Strategy’) to  Committee.

The Council had seen an increase of 94% in homelessness cases in 2023/24, with work being undertaken to keep residents in their current addresses.  These statistics were attached at Appendix 3.

There were four clear strategic priorities broken down into individual actions within the Action Plan (attached at Appendix 2).  These were:

1.     Make homelessness everyone’s responsibility through a system wide approach;

2.     Prevent and respond to homelessness through early intervention and personalised solutions;

3.     End rough sleeping and repeat homelessness; and,

4.     Develop sustainable supported and settled housing solutions.

The Action Plan had been developed by Derbyshire Homeless Officers Group (DHOG) and was being progressed by the Homelessness Special Projects Officer.  The areas of action within each key priority set out in the Strategy were in the Action Plan.  Some early successes included: SIGNAL Pilot; Derbyshire Homelessness Charter; and Street Support Derbyshire.

Four planned activities for delivering actions within the Strategy were identified as in line with the Council’s Ambition:

·       Following consultation with private landlords, develop a comprehensive and attractive countywide landlord offer;

·       React accordingly and ensure a range of measures were in place to prevent homelessness linked to the wider economy and increases in the Cost of Living;

·       Streamline the duty to refer system, and work with partner agencies to improve timelines and quality of referrals; and,

·       As part of the ‘Rough Sleeper Initiative’, develop a targeted prevention approach to prevent the flow of new rough sleepers on to the street.

An update on the Strategy would be provided annually.

The Chair noted under 25s were often most affected by insecure work and expensive housing costs; what was being done to address this.  The Housing Options Manager agreed this was a gap in the Strategy, with private rent proving expensive and a shortage of social housing being present.  At that moment, the full picture of this was unknown.

A Member highlighted the jump in figures at Appendix 3 and sought more information.  The Housing Options Manager explained there were changing issues due to increasing cases of domestic violence and that of eviction from the family home.  Figures were increasing nationally due to the Cost of Living, residents falling into rent arrears, and generally more people in insecure housing approaching the Council for assistance.

The Assistant Director Housing Management and Enforcement added an increase of private rental sector evictions was increasing due to landlords acting if Section 21 Eviction Notices were banned, many having bought-to-let and not being able to afford their mortgages, and the future requirement for rental properties to be Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C rated or above.

A Member asked if the Council spoke to tenants about their reasons for their evictions.  The Housing Options Manager explained every resident who approached the Council provided this information, but the issue was while attempts were made to dissuade landlords from increasing their rent or selling, if landlords wanted to sell there was nothing the Council could do.  However, if the Committee wanted this data, it could be provided.

Moved by Councillor Phil Smith and seconded by Councillor Vicky Wapplington

RESOLVED that the report be noted.