Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that requested permission to carry out public consultation on the draft Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2019-2024, attached as an appendix to the report.

The Council was required to have an up to date Strategy to prevent homelessness. The current Housing and Homelessness Strategy covered the period from 2013 to 2018. Following engagement with key stakeholders, a draft Housing and Homelessness Strategy for 2019-2024 had been produced. The Strategy 2019-2024 focussed on four main themes:

·  Preventing homelessness and supporting homeless households - this theme would be the Homelessness Strategy for the city and would embed the principles of preventing homelessness and providing effective support if people do become homeless, through adoption of the pathways model. To achieve this, actions would be put in place to increase effective partnership working both within the Council and with relevant partners, improve the information and advice available, and include support for people to sustain tenancies and build resilience to avoid the future risk of homelessness. This would also include a review of the Coventry Homefinder policy and the re-commissioning of homeless and ex-offender accommodation and floating support services.

·  New Housing Development – this theme would focus on ensuring that the growth needs of the city were met with an appropriate mix of housing types and tenures. To achieve this, actions would be out in place to develop the relevant supplementary planning documents (SPDs), to work collaboratively with developers, Registered Providers (housing associations) and Homes England to ensure that affordable housing needs were met, and improve the design and diversity of new housing development.

·  Improving the use of existing homes – this theme would focus on the city’s existing housing stock and ensure it was used in the most effective and efficient way to meet the needs of local people. To achieve this, actions would be put in place to reduce the number of empty homes, improve the standard and management of rented housing, including exploring options for discretionary licensing, and improve the quality of existing homes through energy efficiency measures etc.

·  Support for people and communities – this theme would focus on ensuring that the city’s housing was fit for an aging population, people that need support to live independently were able to access it, and support for communities to influence housing in their area through Neighbourhood Plans and regeneration. To achieve this, actions would be put in place to assess the need for supported housing, administer disabled facilities grants (DFGs), and support communities that wanted to prepare a neighbourhood plan. 

The Draft Action Plan, attached as a second appendix to the report, was published alongside the Draft Housing and Homelessness Strategy. Once approved, the action plan would be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that actions were being progressed and responses were being made to any changes in trends or issues that emerged during the lifetime of the Strategy.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves a period of public consultation with the local community and key stakeholders on the Draft Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2019-2024, as attached as an Appendix to the report.

2)  Instructs officers to produce a final Housing and Homelessness Strategy following the public consultation, for approval and adoption by the Cabinet and Council.