Agenda item

8.1       The East Sussex Housing Partnership (ESHP) Lead introduced the report which details the work of an East Sussex Housing Partnership multi agency group to develop a medium and long term vision for housing strategies in district and boroughs and set a framework for joint working.

8.2       The strategy identified key priorities including homelessness prevention; housing, health and care integration; housing standards; development and enablement; tackling climate change; and the private rented sector. The strategy was currently out for public engagement and feedback would be used to refine the strategy ahead of its adoption in the autumn. Once adopted, an annual implementation plan would be developed to address specific areas of work.

8.3       The Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health noted the recent Member briefing on the ESHP and encouraged the Committee to watch the recording if they had been unable to attend.

8.3       The Committee welcomed the work to develop the strategy and discussed and asked questions in the following areas:

• Issues in housing planning – The Committee discussed issues with planning including delays to building once permission has been granted; a lack of social housing; accountability; restrictions under current legislation and affordability. The ESHP Lead responded that the Partnership was working closely with Developers East Sussex to look at these issues, including challenges with affordable housing delivery on section 106 sites and to explore opportunities for collaboration and funding. Housing authorities were also seeking to address these issues, and this had informed the strategy. Work was also underway with housing partners to input into local plans. The issue of affordability, including feedback from engagement would continue to be considered in the development of the strategy. In response to a question on collaboration with the National Housing Federation (NHF), the ESHP Lead clarified that the NHF was on its strategic board and had supported key areas of work including the production of a framework of good practice and a recent consultation on supported housing regulation.
• Funding – The Committee enquired about funding for the work of the Partnership, noting government funding for housing cooperatives, and enquired if this funding could be used by the Partnership. The ESHP Lead confirmed there was a funding allocation to Homes England to support those types of initiatives and part of the Partnership network was supporting community led housing initiatives; the Partnership would continue to explore opportunities and work would continue with districts and boroughs to support schemes at a local level. In terms of wider funding for the ESHP and why this work was happening now, the ESHP Lead noted a number of ongoing initiatives to support fuel poverty and homelessness prevention etc.; the strategy aimed to look at how these projects contributed to a longer term vision and how housing could work with system partners to develop the sector and address gaps in provision.
• Supporting people with multiple compound needs – In response to a question on a strategy to manage demand in relation to people who have been moved into East Sussex from neighbouring authorities, the ESHP Lead noted these cases were part of the Partnership’s wider work to support people with multiple compound needs and learning from these would inform the future approach, including strengthening partnerships with neighbouring authorities to address regional challenges.
• Floating Housing Support – The Committee asked for an update on funding for floating housing support. The Director of ASCH noted that referral pathways had recently been revised to reflect lower activity levels due to the reduction in funding and clarified that ESCC would continue to fund £0.5m; priority would be given to households with children at risk of homelessness and households with adults at risk of needing care if housing needs are not met. Combined funding from districts and boroughs would also provide £0.5m and this would focus on homelessness prevention. The ESHP Lead commented that the Homelessness Prevention Grant funded the majority of this work, and the continuation of this had been confirmed in the recent Spending Review, however local allocations were yet to be confirmed. Wider collaboration with districts and boroughs was also taking place on prevention services. 

8.4       The Committee RESOVED to note the report.