Agenda item

Report of the Task and Finish Group

The Board considered a briefing note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator detailing the outcomes of Task and Finish Group on Improving the Quality of Housing and the Health and Wellbeing of Coventry Residents. Approval for the establishment of the Task Group was given by the Board at their meeting on 19^th July, 2017.

The briefing note highlighted that the Task and Finish Group had wanted to investigate and draw attention to the link between health and housing; to look at the existing work being undertaken by organisations across the City to support people in developing and maintaining healthy homes; and to consider how the Council could improve the quality of private rented sector housing. The Group were joined by representatives from Coventry Citizens Advice who were able to provide an insight into the housing challenges faced by Coventry residents. Members also heard evidence from West Midlands Fire Service, Whitefriars Housing, the Council’s Housing Enforcement Team and Public Health. A call for evidence was also put out electronically to enable private landlords to give their views. The Group met on five occasions.

The briefing note detailed the outcomes of the Task and Finish Group sessions on the following subjects:

Public Health and setting the scene

Citizens Advice Coventry

West Midlands Fire Service

Whitefriars Housing

Housing Enforcement.

The recommendations from the Task and Finish Group were to be submitted to Cabinet at their meeting on 6^th March, 2018.

Members discussed the recommendations to be submitted to Cabinet and suggested the inclusion of the work of other advice agencies. The issue of limited resources was highlighted.

RESOLVED that:

(1) Having considered the recommendations from the Task and Finish Group as set out in the briefing note and having taken account of the comments from members, the recommendations be amended to read as follows:

i. That the Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group are asked to look at hosting advice outreach in GP surgeries (Cllr Caan)

ii. To endorse the work of Citizens’ Advice Frontline Network and other advice agencies to look at the co-ordination of grant and charity resources to assist tenants to create easier access to funds for tenants in need of support (Cllr Bigham)

iii. To support the continued work of the West Midlands Fire Service on the Health Agenda, including working with partners to evaluate the impact andthen, if appropriate, explore funding options for the Back Home Safe and Well initiative (Cllr Caan/Cllr Abbott)

iv. To endorse work with city partners to consider opportunities for information sharing, which could lead to the identification of vulnerable people who may benefit from services or support through community resources, such as from Citizen’s Advice, Coventry Independent Advice Services and the Fire Service Safe and Well check. (Cllr Abbott/Cllr Bigham)

v. That work is undertaken to define and promote Healthy Homes (Cllr Caan)

vi. To support the proposal to continue to develop Selective Licensing in the City (Cllr Bigham)

(2) The recommendations for Cabinet, as amended above, be supported.

(3) An update report be submitted to a future meeting of the Board in six months’ time on the progress of the recommendations