To consider the mid-point review of the current Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2018 -21.

Councillor Mike Rowley and Nerys Parry (Housing Strategy and Needs Manager) will be available to present the report and answer any questions.

Councillor Mike Rowley, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing, introduced the report, focusing on the delivery of affordable housing. At the mid-point of the strategy a large number of successes had been achieved, notably the commencement of the Oxford Housing Company on work to deliver over 500 affordable homes, with over 100 delivered in the previous year (including over 30 Council-owned homes in the Barton development) and with over 100 anticipated in the current year. The challenge of delivering housing within a context of near nation-topping house-prices was recognised, and with over 2000 people still on the Council waiting list further work was required. A significant amount of work had been undertaken with the County Council and neighbouring District Councils in developing the Oxfordshire Growth Deal, which would underpin a lot the necessary work to ensure the meeting of local housing need.

Richard Wood, Strategy and Service Development Manager, introduced the progress made in relation to homelessness reduction. Notable achievements were identified as a significant increase in places for rough sleepers commissioned by the Council, securing significant government funding, the establishment of Oxford Homelessness Movement, the implementation of the requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act, the trial of the Oxfordshire Trailblazer programme. Housing demand, the need to consider the Climate Emergency and relations with registered social housing providers and transforming provision of rough sleeping services to a county-wide approach were recognised to be areas where further work was required. Suggested changes to the strategy put forward included the inclusion of a separate document detailing the Council’s Rough Sleeping Strategy, greater cross-working throughout the County and building in the now-agreed Floyds Row and its associated services.

Questions to the Panel were addressed to members of the Lived Experience Advisory Forum on their experience of the Council and its duty to prevent homelessness. Feedback indicated that that within the last year there had been challenges with establishing a local connection, and that interaction with non-specialist homelessness Council staff had not proven valuable in terms of homelessness prevention, with advice being given to ensure that one individual was on the housing register. It was suggested that more signposting information should be available to officers, particularly those on the front desk at the Council, such as leaflets containing the details of local homelessness-related services.

In discussing the Council’s plans for supported rent the Panel, following corroborative feedback from the Lived Experience representatives present, emphasised the vital role of supported housing for those on the journey from homelessness to stability, but it was also brought up that not all supported housing schemes were providing the level of support needed to realise the potential for positive outcomes. O’Hanlon House, particularly, was discussed in this regard with reports of access being problematic at times. The number of recovery houses for addiction was also mentioned, with support being given for increased capacity for such services. In response to the issues raised, it was explained to the Panel that the Council was in the process of seeking to transform homelessness services, which would include supported housing. As part of that work needs analysis would be done in consultation with other district councils in the county, the County Council, Crisis, services users and service providers.

Further discussion was held in relation the progress made by the Council in the transition to having a county-wide approach to homelessness. Already, good progress was being made. In previous years each district had made independent bids to central government for funding, whereas this year the councils were working together on a joint bid. The value of Oxford being a hub, hosting a concentration of services was recognised by the other local authorities and a pooled funding arrangement was already in place. Floyds Row would form a particularly important part of this hub, and neighbouring districts had recognised the need to contribute to its funding.

Cabinet members, Panel members and officers all commented on the value of having people from the Lived Experience Advisory Forum at the meeting to share their perspectives and feedback. The Panel sought to ensure that the Lived Experience Advisory Forum would be given the opportunity to contribute towards the shaping of services and the drafting of the new strategy. It was confirmed that this would be the case from 2020.

It was AGREED that the Panel would refer the following three recommendations to the Scrutiny Committee for consideration whether to refer to the December meeting of Cabinet:

Recommendation 1: That the Council will develop an informed qualitative understanding of the support provided by supported housing providers particularly through additional consultation with recent and current service users, and that anonymised feedback will be provided to the Lived Experience Advisory Forum for the opportunity to make additional comment.

Recommendation 2: That the Council will discuss with the Lived Experience Advisory Forum to agree the most appropriate means of ensuring those with lived experience of homelessness are involved in the transformation programme of homelessness services at strategic and service design levels, as well as the development the new Housing and Homelessness Strategy.

Recommendation 3: That the Council should map its expectations of how the various arms of the Council contribute to the homelessness prevention agenda, also to include the expectations of those organisations which are under a duty to refer people under the Homelessness Reduction Act,  and to run a mystery shopper process to check their current efficacy