The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health presented the report which set out the Homelessness review and a draft Sevenoaks District Council emerging Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2023- 2028 for consultation. The Housing & Health Advisory Committee had considered the same report and were in support of the recommendation to Cabinet.

The Head of Housing advised that the Housing Strategy 2022-2027 was approved in July 2022 contained 4 key themes of focus for the District Council’s housing service over the next 5 years. It included reducing homelessness and improving routes into permanent accommodation.

The Council had a statutory duty under the Homelessness Act 2002, to have a

Homelessness and Rough Sleepers Strategy.  The Strategy must be renewed at least

every 5 years.

The Strategy must set out the Council’s plans for the continued work towards:

·       prevention of homelessness

·       provision of sufficient accommodation/sustainable solutions

·       support to be available for people who become homeless or who are at risk

The Council were required to undertake a Homelessness Service Review to inform the Strategy.  The review provided information on the needs of people who had approached the Council’s housing service for help since the last Homelessness Strategy was adopted. It considered what the Council had achieved, successful funding bids to widen service provision and the delivery of additional affordable housing units through Quercus Housing. 

The objectives of the draft Strategy would cover prevention, interventions and sustainable solutions detailed on page 146 and the actions to be taken to deliver these in the Action Plan page 192.

Members were advised of the consultation timetable and the feedback from the consultation would come back to the Committee on 7 February 2023.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That

a)   the outcome of the Homelessness Review, the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy and the proposed timetable for consultation and implementation, be considered; and

b)   the first draft of the emerging Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy for public consultation, subject to any required amendment, be approved.