The Executive Director (Communities and People) has submitted a report to seek approval of the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28 for public consultation.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Note the progress made to develop a new Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for Oxford;

2.    Approve the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28 at Appendix 1 for public consultation;

3.    Approve the launch of statutory 6 week public consultation to collect feedback on the draft strategy; and

4.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make any necessary editorial corrections, minor amendments, and updates to the draft strategy and strategy evidence base prior to the public consultation.

The Executive Director (Communities and People) had submitted a report to seek approval for a draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28 for public consultation.  The strategy was designed to offer a clear plan for the next five years which captured the Council’s priorities but remained flexible enough to respond to challenges and changes over the period, which were expected to be significant.  The document would therefore remain adaptable, with updates brought to Cabinet as the plan progressed.

The Cabinet Member for Housing outlined the five priorities of the strategy as: providing more, affordable homes; great homes for all; housing for a net zero carbon future; preventing homelessness and adopting a rapid rehousing response; and ending rough sleeping. The Cabinet Member explained how the Council would aim to address each of these priorities within the period of the strategy.   

It was noted that the document would be subject to a statutory six week public consultation, and it was hoped that there would be a good level of engagement in order to further strengthen and improve it.

In response to a Cabinet Member’s comment, the Housing Strategy and Needs Manager undertook to include additional detail relating to the governance of the strategy within the final document.

Cabinet heard that a comprehensive consultation on the strategy was proposed which would include: online surveys; social media engagement; stakeholder and Member events involving community groups and charities; and engaging with those with lived experience.  The Leader commented that it would also be helpful to seek to engage city centre businesses with the plan, in order to assist with understanding the actions which the Council was already taking, and intended to take, to address homelessness.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.     Note the progress made to develop a new Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for Oxford;

2.     Approve the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy at Appendix 1 for public consultation;

3.     Approve the launch of a statutory 6-week public consultation to collect feedback on the draft strategy; and

4.     Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make any necessary editorial corrections, minor amendments, and updates to the draft strategy and strategy evidence base prior to the public consultation.