Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for  Housing Growth. To be introduced by the  Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.]

To consider Revisions to Haringey's Housing Strategy, including proposed amendments to appendices.

The Leader invited Mr Nicolson to put forward his deputation to the Cabinet.

Mr Nicolson was representing the TAG[Temporary Accommodation Group] Love Lane resident’s group and putting forward their concerns about: the future demolition of the Love Lane estate, their rights as residents in temporary accommodation, the need for permanent housing with affordable rent and how the development of the estate was taking place around them, causing distress.

The Sedley principles were referred to and the deputation were seeking an assurance that any consultation on the ‘Landlord Offer’ on Love Lane estate would follow these principles and that all families in temporary accommodation on Love Lane estate would be allowed to respond to the consultation, and to vote in any related ballot and would be moved into permanent accommodation.

The TAG Love Lane group was seeking accommodation that was both permanent and affordable. The group was concerned that Councillors had not given due consideration to:

• The circumstances of the 172 homeless families whom the Council had moved into temporary accommodation in the Love Lane estate, after the permanent tenants were moved out, and who were likely to be moved on yet again before demolition. It was not felt right for one family to already have been moved three times in the past nine months or for children to be moving homes, schools and friends six or seven times throughout ten years of their education. The deputation party felt that one move into decent temporary accommodation ought to be enough. Being moved into a noisy building site only to be moved off it again was compulsory move too many.

• The damage to the health and well-being of low-income families caused by significant increased rents as these families would likely need to move out of £90 a week for two bed Council rented accommodation to take private rented permanent accommodation at a minimum of £300 a week in N17 or £400 in N6. This was being done under the threat of "intentional homelessness". The deputation asserted that the Council paying the difference to landlords for four years did not result in permanent secure affordable accommodation for a career teacher or nurse or anyone else seeking to move to a community

The deputation further contended that none of the definitions of affordable housing in Appendix C was truly affordable. It was not only the rent that mattered but consideration should also be given to the health and wellbeing of low-income families and the minimum household income must be enough to buy a healthy diet, water, fuel, clothes, transport, participation in the community and other necessities, after the rent, Council and income taxes are paid.

The deputation referred to the new London Living rent policy being developed by the Mayor of London, which was one third of local rents, in which Council tax must be included if it is not abolished. The deputation spoke about the remaining two thirds of income being equally important and considered in the development of this policy. The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10