Decision details

The Committee considered a report by the Senior Housing Officer (Housing Needs) (circulated previously) regarding the approval of a new homelessness review and strategy for 2019-2024.

The Service Lead - Housing Advice and Homelessness highlighted the following issues:

·         Statutory requirement for the Council to publish a homelessness review and strategy every five years.

·         The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government deadline was December 2019.

·         The Council had commissioned consultants (HQN) to complete an independent review and strategy.

·         The key findings of the homelessness review.

·         Statistics of main prevention and relief outcomes from July to March 2018/19 under the provisions of the Homelessness Reduction Act in comparison to national data.

·         Key challenges.

·         Key themes for the new strategy.

In response to questions, the Service Lead - Housing Advice and Homelessness advised that monthly meetings were held with Planning Enforcement whereby issues such as people occupying properties with holiday occupancy restrictions, to enable officers to work with them at an early stage to try to mitigate them from becoming homeless.  The Freedom Centre was now fully operational.  The Council currently leased some one bedroomed properties from North Devon Homes for a period of approximately 12-14 months for single or couple occupancy.

Councillor Leaver declared a personal interests as a Trustee of Encompass South West.

In response to a question regarding no reference to the Exmoor National Park within the strategy, the Head of Environmental Health and Housing advised that a report could be produced which included evidence of need arising in relation to the provision of affordable housing on Exmoor.

In response to a question, the Service Lead for Affordable Housing advised that the old Local Plan provided for Local Needs Dwellings under policy HSG4. Individual local needs dwellings were allowed on single unit sites.  Sites of more than one unit had to provide 50% affordable housing. Under the new Local Plan Local Needs Dwellings were covered under policy DM24 and numbers were not limited to one. Such units were not genuine affordable housing (due to their often expensive nature) but tend to be valued 25-30% below open market value. It was suggested that the Joint Local Development Plan Working Group investigate the application of the policy around appropriate marketing at a level that reflects a local needs restriction to ensure local buyers can access such housing as well as issues around renovations; local connection cascade timeframes and requests for removal of restrictions. The Service Lead for Affordable Housing had been involved in a number of planning consultations around Local Needs Dwellings and would like to discuss further.