Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance, (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance seeking Members’ agreement of the adoption of the Homelessness and Housing Strategy (attached as Appendix 1 to the report).

Members were reminded that the draft Strategy had been approved for consultation by the Council in September 2018.  During the six week period of consultation two responses were received and the detail of these was set out in the report.  It was noted that the consultation process raised no real issues with the content of the Strategy and therefore it was recommended for adopted without the need for any amendments.  However, Members were informed that since the drafting of the Strategy the Council had adopted a new Corporate Plan and therefore if Members were minded to adopt the Strategy further amendment would be required to reflect the newly adopted Corporate Plan.

In response to questions raised, the following information was provided by the Housing Options Team Leader:

·                 Under the Homelessness Reduction Act if a person is eligible for assistance and homeless within the legal definitions the Council must try and prevent their homelessness whether they have a local connection to the Maldon District Council are or not.  People with have a local connection to Maldon if they have lived or worked in the area for a set period of time or have had relatives who have lived in the area for some time.

·                 If someone becomes homeless and does not have a local connection to Maldon District Council, then that person can be referred back to another Council where they have a local connection.

·                 The Council does not have an issue with London Councils placing people in the Maldon District Council area, unlike Harlow and Epping Forest Councils.

·                 Prior to the Homelessness Reduction Act if someone approached the Council for assistance due to homelessness their case would be looked at 28 days before they became homeless.  Under the Homelessness Reduction Act the Council has to see what it can do to prevent homelessness 56 days before an applicant become homeless.

It was commented that the Strategy referred to the Strategic Housing Board which involved Members and the need for regular meetings of this Board.

RESOLVED that subject to the amendment (as detailed in Section 3.4 of the report) to update the Strategy to reflect the newly adopted Corporate Plan, the Maldon District Council Homelessness and Housing Strategy be adopted.