Agenda item

To receive the Council’s Housing Strategy 2009-2019.

The Committee received the Council’s Housing Strategy 2009-2019 report, presented by Nick Powell, Head of Housing Strategy and Development Partnerships. 

The Committee noted that the draft Housing Strategy was an overarching strategy dealing with all housing needs in the Borough and was underpinned with smaller strategies including Homelessness, Affordable Warmth and Empty Homes.  The Housing Strategy had been the subject of extensive consultation (and linked in with the London Housing Strategy) and would be presented to full Council for formal adoption in July 2009.

Mr Powell agreed to provide Members with a briefing note on the smaller strategies within the overarching Housing Strategy, and when they were scheduled to come into practice.

Concerns were raised about whether leaseholders were being provided with options for loans or other repayment terms for maintenance and repairs works and works to bring properties up to the Decent Homes Standard (DHS). Councillor Bevan, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, explained that all new leaseholders were told of their responsibility to maintain the leased properties and repayment options were presented when necessary.  Niall Bolger, Director of Urban Environment,  stated that the Council offered the most assistance of all partners. Leaseholders could also organise a charge on the property which meant that the owed amount could be taken from the profit once the property sells.  The suggestion of loans or grants being offered to leaseholders for environmental improvements was noted.

The Committee expressed the need to link teenage pregnancy awareness with the Housing Strategy and educate young people about the Council’s provision. Awareness had been delivered by multi-agency partnerships which in the previous year prevented 63 cases of homelessness. 

In response to the Committee’s concerns that Mental Health service users had not been mentioned in the Strategy, it was explained that mental health was a priority and discussions were being held on how to improve provision. The Housing Department were involved in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment which included housing needs for people with mental health issues.

Mr Bolger added that with regards to children in care, Housing Officers were working closely with Social Workers to assist with leaving care arrangements so that people leaving care did not make housing choices that they could not manage.

The Committee noted that all future applications to build housing would go through Planning Design Officers before being brought before the Planning Committee to ensure high quality, good design and a balance between social and private sector housing.  The Government’s funding programme to kick-start energy efficient Council housing was in place and the Council had been engaging with partners and other departments on taking this forward.  A report was due to be presented to Cabinet in the near future setting out  a clear formal strategy on where Homes for Haringey should develop and the roles of partners.

The Committee questioned how “the need for culture change was stressed” as stated on page 25 of the report.  Mr Bolger explained that the Council’s Housing Options and Advice service provided advice for all options available including alternative options such as Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST) and the Council was looking at ways people could access housing without the Council’s intervention.

In response to the Committee’s concerns about the East/West divide in terms of new social housing, Councillor Bevan explained that developers and partners were encouraged to build  mixed tenures of housing.

RESOLVED

1.         That it be noted that the Housing Strategy would be presented to full Council for approval on 20 July 2009.

2          That the outcomes of the consultation and the changes proposed to the Strategy as a result of these, be noted.

3.         That  approval be given to the adoption in principle of the draft Strategy, and that the strategy would be subject to any amends that may be agreed by the Cabinet Member for Housing Services.

4.         That the draft Implementation Plan currently nearing completion be noted.