Agenda item

The Committee NOTED the report of the Director of Housing Demand which was included in the agenda pack at pages 21-23.

The Director of Housing Demand advised the Committee that Housing Services and Children’s Services had agreed that a quota of social housing lets would be set aside each year for care leavers. The quota level was based on a projection of the number of people that were due to leave care that year and a consideration of the range of needs. The current quota was 60 one bedroom properties and 6 two bed properties. Liaison was undertaken with the Young Adult Services for nominations to the quota and allocation of Band A status.

The Committee was advised that there were two training flats which were used as a supported living scheme to help young people who may need to develop some additional skills or experience before managing their own tenancy. The Director of Housing demand also advised that HfH were also looking to add some studio flats to this provision where the young person would be provided with floating support. In response to a question on the timing of the studio flats, the Director of Housing Demand commented that she could include the next suitable property into this provision but advised that the volunteer support needed to be in place from the YAS. The Director of Housing Demand agreed to discuss this with Emma Cummergen. Action: Denise Gandy.

The Director of Housing Demand advised that homelessness legislation supported the Leaving Care Act; 18 – 21 year olds who are care levers had an automatic priority need and so the Council would owe them a homelessness duty if they were in housing need. It was noted that since the introduction of the social housing quota, most care leavers moved on to their settled accommodation without the need for temporary accommodation.

The Committee was advised that if a care leaver preferred to move into private rented accommodation, they could be supported to do this through an incentive payment to a private landlord. Care leavers were exempt from the shared room rate in the private sector until they were 22 and so would be able to rent a one bedroom flat rather than just a room.

The Director of Housing Demand suggested that consideration was being given to whether there was more that could be done to enhance the Council’s offer as corporate parents. Options included: Working with contractors to offer a day course on painting and decorating and basic home maintenance; an enhanced housing management offer and offering an apprenticeship to a care leaver. The Director of Housing Demand agreed to progress working with contractors to offer a course on painting and decorating. Action: Denise Gandy

The Committee expressed significant concerns with the experience of the Young People’s Involvement Officer when she accompanied an Aspire Member on a housing visit. Concerns were raised that the visit was carried out in hurried manner with a number of other prospective tenants waiting outside and that an immediate decision on the property was requested. In response to a question from the Committee, officers clarified that if the young person turned down the property they wouldn’t intentionally be made homeless; instead they would go back into the bidding process. Applicants in Band A, including care leavers, had their status reviewed every six months and provided they had been bidding they would be able to continue to bid for other properties.

The Director of Housing Demand acknowledged that she would feed back some of the issues raised to her colleagues; including the need to offer additional support at the viewing stage and the need to reconsider the speed of the process. Action: Denise Gandy.

The Chair reiterated that she would like to include a pledge around the Council’s housing offer to Aspire. The Director of Housing Demand advised that the pledge would need to be developed jointly with the Council’s Housing Strategy team and suggested including the Head of Housing Strategy & Commissioning. The Chair requested meeting with the Director of Housing Demand, the Head of Housing Strategy & Commissioning and any other members of the Committee to discuss developing the Aspire housing pledge. Action: Clerk/Denise Gandy.

The DCS enquired whether care leavers were flagged up on the housing system and whether there was any way of ensuring there was a consistent approach taken to flag up care leavers at agreed stages in the process. The Director of Housing Demand agreed to look into this suggestion. Action: Denise Gandy.

The Interim Service Manager Fostering and Adoption enquired whether there was any specific protocol in place around rent arrears and evictions for care leavers. The Director of Housing Demand advised that a protocol between Children’s Services HfH around a range of issues had recently been signed off, and agreed that she would go back and check if this included rent arrears. The Director of Housing demand suggested that this could be added to the protocol if it was not already included.  Action: Denise Gandy.