Issue - meetings

The council continues to have a significant financial outlay on temporary accommodation costs to meet its homelessness obligations under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and the level of expenditure is set to exceed the budget set for 2025/26. This report sets out the ongoing actions taken to minimise homelessness expenditure and identifies the funding which will be utilised to cover the additional expenditure for 2025/26.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the priority actions points which have been taken to manage homelessness over the past 6 months.

(2)      Note the use of Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and homelessness grant reserves to cover the anticipated increase in expenditure, for 2025/26, to enable the Council to meet its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

(3)      Agree that a further update regarding nightly paid accommodation (NPA) expenditure be provided at the Community & Wellbeing Committee in March 2026.

The Committee received a report setting out the ongoing actions taken to minimise homelessness expenditure and identifying the funding which will be utilised to cover the additional expenditure for 2025/26.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Nightly Paid Accommodation Numbers. In response to a comment from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager confirmed that the statistic for the number of people in nightly paid accommodation is not a static figure, with a constant flow of people moving in and out.

b)            Homelessness Prevention. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager stated that the objective of the prevention of homelessness was ingrained throughout the work of the entire Housing team, with a Housing Options Officer specialising in the matter.

c)            Landlords Forum. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that the Landlords Forums were held to raise awareness for landlords and inform them of the Council’s schemes, along with any changes to legislative and licensing requirements. The forums also provide an opportunity for landlords to network and develop relationships with the Council.

d)            Renters' Rights Act 2025. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager stated that in his view the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 was a positive change and would be beneficial in efforts towards preventing homelessness.

e)            Action Plan Progress. In response to a question from a Member referring to action 6.10 of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Action Plan, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that completion of the action was being worked towards, though had experienced some delays.

f)             Short-Notice Referrals. In response to questions from Members, the Strategic Housing Manager stated that the Housing service was experiencing pressure as a result of people with housing needs arriving at the Town Hall, sometimes with significant mental or physical health requirements, having been directed to the Council by hospitals/agencies without the housing team having received proper prior notice. He stated that the housing team sought to form stronger relationships and raise awareness with said organisations in order for the Council to be better able in supporting the people referred to the Council by said agencies.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the priority actions points which have been taken to manage homelessness over the past 6 months.

(2)      Note the use of Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and homelessness grant reserves to cover the anticipated increase in expenditure, for 2025/26, to enable the Council to meet its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

(3)      Agree that a further update regarding nightly paid accommodation (NPA) expenditure be provided at the Community & Wellbeing Committee in March 2026.