Including an update on empty homes target. Verbal

The Head of Housing and Communications gave a verbal update and power-point presentation on Private Sector Housing, Social Housing, Housing Policy and future initiatives.  She advised that there would be future report to Committee concerning the Housing Action plan and the Local Investment partnership .The Partnership was with Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone Borough Councils and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA),

In response to Members’ questions the Head of Housing and Communications explained that the social housing register was managed by West Kent Housing and that there were usually around 1000 people on the waiting list.  This had been radically reduced a few years ago by being honest with applicants about the chances of re-housing and offering alternative solutions such as renting in the private sector housing or shared home ownership schemes.  Twenty-one placements in Bed & Breakfast was the result of the recession and placements were for very short periods of time or emergency situations. The waiting list included for example, ‘hidden homeless’ who lived with their families or with friends, often in cramped conditions, older people looking for supported schemes for when they needed extra support later in life, or transfer cases of existing tenants.  Homeless applicants were awarded extra points to reflect their urgent situation, but Kent Homechoice was in place where relevant applicants bid for suitable properties.  It was an open register and therefore not all those on the list were from the Sevenoaks district, and local people who lived or worked in the district received local points. A Member suggested that Parish and Town Councils would be more willing to identify green belt areas that could be used for affordable housing, if they were made more aware of the direct housing need.  The Head of Housing and Communications explained that all the information was contained in the register which could be obtained from West Kent Housing. 

The Head of Housing and Communications advised that they also ran a private landlord accreditation scheme, which had originally run in partnership with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The scheme was very successful and Landlords had been trained and awarded small grants to help make the property decent homes standard.  In addition, anyone accessing the Private sector lettings scheme (a loan scheme offering rent in advance and deposit bond)  could only use accredited properties in the private sector.  In response to a question, she advised that she did not believe private landlords would sign up to the schemes if the Council attempted to recoup the money at a later stage.  The money for the loans was from a small amount of funding that she had identified, and the scheme would end once this was exhausted unless further funding was found. 

The HERO (Housing Energy Retraining Options) Project was a holistic outreach service which provided advice on matters such as housing, energy, retraining and returning to employment options.  A Member suggested looking at working with Welfare to Work Contractors. The Head of Housing and Communications advised that there were already good links with Business link but was always looking for new contacts and would look into it once the additional officer was trained.

A report on affordable housing would come to Committee later in the year.  Work was ongoing with registered providers and there were a range of initiatives such as Home Buy with MOAT – shared ownership rent to buy schemes etc., to minimise the lack of affordable housing. The Council was also looking at reducing under-occupation, utilising empty homes and working with other neighbouring boroughs.