Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.    that the report be noted;

2.    that the committee be provided with a breakdown of the ethnicities of families currently in temporary accommodation.

The Chair invited Pinaki Ghoshal – Executive Director for Children and Young People to give a brief introduction. Pinaki was accompanied by Fen Beckman – Executive Director for Housing and colleagues from the Housing directorate.

4.2         The following was noted in discussion:

1.    One member was surprised to hear that not many families with school aged children were placed out of the borough as this was a common problem in the schools in her ward (Bellingham). Even where a family was rehoused within the borough, poor transport connections could make the journey to school very difficult, impacting on attendance.

2.    When placing families in temporary accommodation, consideration was given to the ages of the children, especially those in critical school years.  Families with younger children that were not in school tended to be placed out of borough, but sometimes emergency need and lack of suitable accommodation in the preferred area necessitated moving families out of borough or far from school. The housing service endeavours to support children who are settled and doing well in school to stay there.

3.    The Committee requested a more up to date ethnic breakdown of the families currently in temporary accommodation. Officers did not have this information to hand but would supply it by email following the meeting. ACTION

4.    Members also asked for an update on how many families with children were currently in temporary accommodation with shared kitchens and bathrooms. Again, this would be supplied after the meeting. At the date of the meeting, 2 families were in temporary accommodation with shared facilities for more than 6 weeks. One of the families was due to move that day. ACTION

5.    The housing and safeguarding coordinator pilot had been successful and a joint team was being created with Children’s Social Care.

6.    Concerns were raised about the number of empty homes in the borough.  Tackling empty homes is a corporate priority for the council, with a dedicated empty homes officer engaged in identifying empty homes, tracking down the landlord/ owner, and working with them to bring properties back into use.  There can often be complicated matters such as probate or family disputes. Empty homes grants are available to encourage landlords to improve empty properties and rent them back to the council.  Sometimes, what appears to be an empty home is not in fact an empty home as defined in the legislation, and therefore the council would have no power to use it.

7.    During the pandemic, property checks on temporary accommodation have not been possible at the same levels as pre-covid.  Normally, properties are subject to regular audit to make sure that the homes are of the right quality. During the pandemic, people have not wanted council officers in their homes and it has not been possible to visit as many. Officers will respond to reported problems and visits will pick up pace as restrictions lift.

8.    Concerns were raised that only offering repairs requests via an online route may make it hard for some tenants to report problems as not everybody is comfortable or able to go online. 

9.    Where families are moved out of the borough, they are signposted to local schools, doctor etc. Unfortunately the council has to work within budget and property in the borough is very expensive.

4.3    RESOLVED:

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That the committee be provided with a breakdown of the ethnicities of families currently in temporary accommodation.