Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy)

The report provides a summary of some of the key issues and trends within the borough in relation to homelessness, and outlines the service developments that have been or are being made to prevent and alleviate homelessness. This information was requested by the Adult Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee.

The report also seeks approval for a pilot scheme that would enable the Council to discharge its homelessness duties by offering private sector accommodation. This approach would enable offers to be made more swiftly given the shortage of some types of social housing within the Borough, but still ensure that families had a quality offer of accommodation and a high level of on-going support.  It will also mean that homeless households are not just concentrated within Council estates, but housed more evenly across the Borough.

The Executive is recommended to:-

·         note the content of the report;

·         approve a pilot scheme that would enable the Council to discharge its homelessness duties by offering private sector accommodation.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax, 0161 474 4319, andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider a proposal to pilot the Council discharging its homelessness duties by offering private sector accommodation that it was hoped would allow housing offers to be made more swiftly given the shortage of some types of social housing within the Borough, but still ensure that families had a quality offer of accommodation and a high level of on-going support. The report also summarised some of the key issues and trends within the borough in relation to homelessness, and outlined the service developments made to prevent and alleviate homelessness.

RESOLVED – That report be noted and approval be given to the pilot scheme that would enable the Council to discharge its homelessness duties by offering private sector accommodation.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides a summary of some of the key issues and trends within the Borough and outlines some of the current work underway to prevent and alleviate homelessness, and makes a recommendation to adopt a pilot scheme for making greater use of Stockport Homes’ Lettings Scheme to accommodate people losing their homes.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 0161 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary of some of the key issues and trends within the Borough and outlining some of the current work underway to prevent and alleviate homelessness.  The report further proposed the adoption of a pilot scheme for making greater use of the Stockport Homes’ Lettings Scheme to accommodate people losing their homes.

The Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to answer questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Stockport had been assessed as meeting the ‘silver’ standard for its delivery of a more efficient and cost effective homelessness prevention service.  It was stated that Stockport currently met 6 out of the 10 criteria for the ‘Gold Standard Challenge’.

·         The impact of Universal Credit on the viability of Brindale House, the Council’s temporary accommodation scheme for homeless families, was discussed with particular regard to the potential for it to the transferred to charitable status.  It was reported that if the property was no longer in the control or ownership of the Council, then it would not be subject to the same income reductions resulting from mandated decreases in rent levels.

·         It was queried why the Council was seeking to discharge its homelessness duties by offering accommodation in the private rented sector when Shelter had suggested that this option should only be used as a last resort.  In response, it was stated that the Council’s temporary accommodation was under significant pressure; and additionally, the option of using selected properties within the private sector but which was managed by Stockport Homes was not one which had previously been available to the Council and which provided additional safeguards over and above the wider private rented sector.

·         Concern was expressed that the proposals would disperse vulnerable residents across the borough when the most intensive support would be available in the established ‘Priority 1’ areas. In response, it was stated that support provided by the Council, Stockport Homes and their partners was generally available borough-wide on a floating basis rather than being dedicated to specific locales.

·         It was important that the viability of the Stockport Homes Lettings Service was not undermined.

RESOLVED – (1) That the proposal for the Council to enter into a pilot scheme to discharge homeless duties into Stockport Homes’ Social Lettings Scheme be endorsed.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be requested to submit a report to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee detailing the impact of the scheme following 12 months’ operation.