Agenda item

Urgent Business (if any)

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

The Chair decided to consider three items of urgent business – (i) update on Homelessness Strategy, (ii) ground maintenance, and (iii) Red Clover Gardens allocation process; given their immediate relevance and potential impact on ongoing discussions.

 

Update on the Homeless Strategy

 

The Sub-Committee considered an urgent item on the Homelessness Strategy and Transformation update. Susmita Sen, Corporate Director of Housing, and Beatrice Cingtho-Taylor, Director of Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Accommodation, introduced the item, highlighting the risks and consequences of the Council not having a Homelessness Strategy in place.

 

The Chair invited the Sub-Committee to ask questions. The first question concerned the steps being taken to mitigate the risks associated with not having an up-to-date strategy. The officers responded that the Homelessness Strategy is a statutory document, and efforts were focused on ensuring the strategy's approval by the Council. The officers also mentioned ongoing communication with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which had offered support. The officers emphasised the importance of cooperation with central government, noting that some grants could be reduced if the statutory requirement for a Homelessness Strategy was not met.

 

The Sub-Committee sought reassurance that the strategy was not rushed due to statutory deadlines, which could compromise its quality. The officers gave assurance that significant time was devoted to developing the strategy, which included a thorough review of borough-wide needs and full consultation with residents and partner agencies. The Sub-Committee then asked if there was scope within the strategy to adapt to more challenging and ambitious plans. The officers explained that the strategy was designed for regular review, allowing for adjustments to be made based on service performance. The officers also assured that deadlines were arbitrary, and many objectives were expected to be delivered ahead of schedule.

 

The next question focused on cooperation with partners and reducing the time between referrals from the Council’s partners and the Council's response. The officers reported progress in working with partners, significantly aided by the development of the Homelessness Strategy. They described close collaboration with various partners to improve processes and communication. When further challenged on response times, the officers stated that they aimed to engage with referred individuals within 14 days and had already reduced waiting times from six months to two months. They noted that extended wait times were partly due to a significant backlog of approximately 2,000 cases. However, the officers assured that a walk-in service was available for those who were homeless, offering same-day assistance.

The Sub-Committee then asked about the origins of the backlog and how the strategy would address it. Officers explained that the backlog was primarily due to resource allocation issues. The key to resolving this was deploying appropriate resources effectively, with a focus on prevention to reduce the influx of new cases.

 

The Sub-Committee asked about occupancy checks, particularly regarding sublet properties and tenants willing to downsize. The officers reported that about 73% of occupancy checks had been completed, identifying households not occupied by the right individuals and those where circumstances had changed. The checks also uncovered safeguarding concerns and disrepair issues. There were around 150 households that had not engaged with visiting officers, and all collected information was being integrated into ongoing work. Further questioning by the Sub-Committee inquired about strategies for reaching residents who did not engage, such as through evening or weekend visits. The officers confirmed that these measures had been implemented, leading to the identification of non-engagement. The next steps involved reviewing other Council-held information, such as housing benefit data, and potentially issuing notices.

 

Another question from the Sub-Committee concerned the renegotiation of the street homelessness contract. The officers explained that the current outreach contract would expire at the end of the financial year, and they were working over the summer with key partners to establish criteria for selecting a new outreach provider. The intention was to go to tender later in the year, allowing the new contractor to begin work next year. The officers mentioned ongoing sessions with communities and other stakeholders, with a focus on providing the best support as timely as possible. When further challenged by the Sub-Committee, officers noted their close collaboration with Homelessness Link and former rough sleepers to gain a better understanding of their experiences.

 

The Sub-Committee then asked whether the Council was considering a single provider for the contract. Officers explained that the current plan involved one contract with a single provider but noted that this approach was under review in collaboration with Homelessness Link. They also mentioned that in addition to local outreach contracts, support was available from a contract commissioned by the Greater London Authority.

 

Actions

 

Following the discussion of this item, the Sub-Committee agreed the following actions to follow-up after the meeting:

 

-          The Sub-Committee requested the recirculation of information regarding what has been done around culture and performance standards, as well as an update on current efforts. The officers agreed to provide this information.

 

Conclusions

 

Following its discussion of this item, the Sub-Committee reached the following conclusions:

 

-          The Sub-Committee was hopeful that culture, skills, and training would take further prominence before this paper is presented to the Full Council.

-          The Sub-Committee recognised the importance of identifying the needs of street homelessness stakeholders and suggested reflecting on previous contracts to assess what could have been done differently.

-          The Sub-Committee acknowledged that the pre-election period provided an opportunity for more extensive work and engagement with partners, resulting in a significantly more informed version of the strategy.

-          The Sub-Committee expressed optimism that the improvement of the service is within the Council's reach.

-          The Sub-Committee stressed the need for a briefing on the NEC system.

-          The Sub-Committee called for an in-depth review of the homelessness service in October 2024.


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Grounds maintenance

 

The Sub-Committee considered an urgent business item regarding ground maintenance. The Chair emphasised the importance of ground maintenance and requested a brief update from the officers. Mary Larbie, Director of Housing Management, provided an update, highlighting that the service was under-resourced and that they were developing short-, medium-, and long-term plans to address this issue.

 

The Sub-Committee asked how the officers would ensure that the new contractors offered best value and whether the Council had considered expanding the contract for highway maintenance. The officers explained that when bringing in new contractors, they always compared the potential cost to what it would be if done internally. The Sub-Committee further inquired whether the costs would be compared with existing highway management contracts. The officers clarified that these contracts were slightly different.

 

Actions

 

Following the discussion of this item, the Sub-Committee agreed the following actions to follow-up after the meeting:

 

-          The Sub-Committee agreed to invite Streets and Environment Scrutiny Sub-Committee Members to a meeting when the ground maintenance would be discussed.

 

Conclusions

 

Following its discussion of this item, the Sub-Committee reached the following conclusions:

 

-          The Sub-Committee expressed optimism that the service could only improve from its current state.

 

Red Clover Gardens allocation process

 

The Sub-Committee considered an urgent business item regarding the Red Clover Gardens allocation process. The Chair requested the officers present to explain the allocation process and the considerations taken into account before allocating these homes. Beatrice Cingtho-Taylor, Director of Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Accommodation, explained that the allocation was aimed at families and single individuals living in temporary accommodation. The Sub-Committee then inquired further about the selection criteria. The officers explained that they used existing assessments and prioritised those who had been in temporary accommodation for the longest periods. It was also mentioned that the Council had to consider affordability, as rents were based on the local housing allowance.

 

The next question from the Sub-Committee focused on the type of accommodation available and the renting arrangements. The officers explained that the Council discharged their duty, and the shorthold tenancy agreements would be with the housing provider. They detailed that there were 85 units in total, comprising 53 one-bed flats, 22 two-bed flats, and 10 three-bed flats.

 

The Sub-Committee then asked about the stage of the allocation process. The officers confirmed that all flats had been allocated.

 

The final question from the Sub-Committee concerned the previously mentioned discharge of the Council’s duty. The officers clarified that the Council did not own the property, and a management company was appointed to oversee the property and handle any day-to-day maintenance work.