The Quorum for this Panel is three and substitutes are not allowed.

No apologies

None

Lead Officer: Shaibur Rahman, Rough Sleeping and Single Homelessness Manager;

Contact Details: Tel: 01865 252825; email: srahman@oxford.gov.uk

For the Panel to receive an update on the provision of non-statutory homelessness services.

The Rough Sleeping and Single Homelessness Manager reported that Oxford has a large historic problem with homelessness.  Many homeless people have a combination of Mental Health and alcohol or substance abuse issues.

The Panel heard that the City Council receives grant money from DCLG which it tops up to provide a total of £1.4m.  The level of City Council funding is being maintained over the medium term but the government grant is decided annually.  A small cut in the grant last year was manageable but significant cuts in future years would change the landscape. The County Council also currently provides a £3.8m of funding but this is reducing to £2.3m.  At the moment, it is difficult to predict the impact of these cuts on the homelessness pathway. 

There are currently 220-230 hostel beds in the city and this number is being maintained, whereas nationally, bed numbers are declining.  However, given the funding reductions, it seems likely that the some types of provision will be reduced or stopped.

While there is some smaller scale provision in Abingdon and Cherwell, many homeless people come to Oxford from the neighbouring districts and further afield due to the facilities located here.  Once homeless people have settled in the city, they tend to stay.  Local authorities now have local connection policies. 

The high demand on bed spaces means that some people are on the streets, and some have been there for 2-3 years.  There has recently been a slight increase in rough sleepers.  Between June 2012 and December 2014 new rough sleepers spent an average of six nights on the street.  There is a big focus on getting new rough sleepers off the streets quickly.  Some people are now being given deposits for Private Rented Sector housing to free up beds but this represents a big cultural shift and there have been relatively few private move-ons.

The Panel heard that the City Council has good links with the Homeless Liaison Police Officer and Health services.  These relationships have improved over recent years.  There are operational procedures in place to ensure that no one should be discharged onto the streets, the City Council is normally given 24 hours of notice.  Health services make a financial contribution to the homelessness pathway and also fund the mental health pathway.  Moves towards pooled budgeting across different agencies are would be challenging but welcome.  

The Panel resolved to monitor the impact of County Council cuts and requested further information on the annual number of individual homeless people who access homelessness services.

Dave Scholes, Housing Needs Manager, will update the Panel on the joint commissioning of housing support services.

The Housing Needs Manager advised that the County Council is currently leading on the joint commissioning of housing support services and an update paper will go to the Health Improvement Board at the end of April. 

The Panel were advised that the City Council has sought to influence the commissioning to achieve the best outcomes for the city.  There will be a dispersal of bed spaces to districts, which was a City Council aim.

The homelessness pathway demands throughput to prevent bed blocking but there is a lack of move on options in the city.  The Panel noted that the housing situation in the city is not likely to improve anytime soon.

The City Council is looking at property fund investment models that could increase the availability of housing at affordable rates.  Due diligence is currently being done and neighbouring districts have been approached.  The Panel noted that the City Council has a duty to provide best value and that the Inequality Scrutiny Group is deliberation of these kinds of options.

Lead Officer: Laura Higgins, Team Leader for Spatial & Economic Development

Contact details: 01865 252173, lhiggins@oxford.gov.uk

For the Panel to consider:

a)    Affordable Housing contributions in light of the amended national Planning Practice Guidance – report to Council

b)    Responses to Affordable Housing questions   

The Team Leader for Spatial and Economic Development advised that Panel that the City Council is obliged to follow new government guidance. 

The change affects the City Council’s policy of seeking affordable housing contributions from developers of smaller sites of 4-9 dwellings.  Since this policy was introduced in February 2013, it had generated approximately £500k per year in additional funding.  This funding has been building up to enable a more sizeable investment. 

Reading and West Berkshire Councils are challenging this government decision and the City Council is providing data to support this challenge.

In response to a question about whether the City Council has powers to stop developers from building 9 dwellings to avoid affordable housing contributions, the Panel heard that the City Council can ensure good use of land and balance of dwellings through its planning policies.  This is an issue that officers are very alive to.  Some developers have tried to artificially sub-divide plots and have been challenged.

The Panel resolved to monitor the impact of the new government guidance after 6 months.

For the Housing Panel to review and note its work programme.

Noted.

The next Housing Panel meeting will be held on 4^th June 2015.

Noted