Agenda item

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copy attached as item 11

The Committee had a report before it, attached as item 11, which had been circulated to all Members, a copy of which is attached to a signed copy of these minutes. This report set out background information on the Portfolio of the Worthing Cabinet Member for Housing and Citizens Services to enable the Committee to consider and question the Cabinet Member on issues within their portfolio and any other issues which the Cabinet Member was involved in connected with the work of the Council and the Worthing communities.

A Member asked “In the financial report we received for this meeting, it is noted that there has been a marked increase in homelessness due to the Cost of Living crisis. As we head into Winter, it can be assumed this will only continue to be the case. You note in your briefing about adequate provision. What plans are in place to ensure we can protect those in our communities facing homelessness this Winter?”

Members were told the strategic approach was to develop supply to ensure all those experiencing homelessness were provided with housing. This was a mix of developing the Councils’ own stock, contracting with private providers and partnering with others, the long term aim being to achieve a pathway for single homeless that would prevent the need for anyone to rough sleep. They had a pipeline of schemes which included supported accommodation for those with complex needs and supported temporary accommodation to reduce the impacts on those experiencing homelessness and support them more quickly into independence. This was not without challenges given the existing market conditions with development costs rising and would not be achieved for this winter. 

Plans for the coming winter were to provide temporary accommodation with support, they had procured additional accommodation and were working with Turning Tides to make plans for those rough sleeping to have accommodation. Turning Tides provided day services and the administration continued to work with them. 

A Member asked “You mention in your briefing note about improvements to communications via the online customer portal. What is the process and how easy is it to present as homeless to the council if you do not have access to the internet?”

Members were informed anyone who did not have access to the internet could call the service or attend Portland House, appointments were given to see an officer in person. Those threatened with or experiencing homelessness could either receive support to complete the form online, or a paper form was completed and the team created the online application on their behalf. The West Sussex Strategic Homeless Group were funding posts hosted at Chichester, to work on projects across the county. One of the current pieces of work underway was testing access to homelessness services, in particular, making an online application and website content to enable improvement to access of homeless services across the county. The Cabinet Member was committed to preventing homelessness; and ensuring the most vulnerable could access the team and unlike most local authorities, provide a service where people could present to the service and either be seen on the day or offered an appointment, though resources made this a challenge for the team

A Member asked “Reflecting over the last period, what are the biggest learnings taken from what has become one of the most challenging periods in local authority housing and supporting those most in need and what specifically from these learnings can you take forward to the next phase of the portfolio?”

Members were informed they were in the process of fact finding and data gathering as part of their work to create the next Housing and Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Prevention strategies. Data - qualitative and quantitative would form the Housing Needs Assessment, as well as the voice of those with Lived Experience. Preventing homelessness was always the best option and this required the right support and the right housing offer that met need at the right time. They would use the data to ensure they could identify and respond to the triggers as well as creatively partnering to ensure they supported the development of homes and supported accommodation that met need. 

Providing homes was only one part of the picture, providing the right support was also crucial, they were currently working with WSCC and Sussex Partnership trust on programmes to provide support, as well as using the Homelessness Prevention Strategic Board to work strategically with key partners around shared aims to prevent homelessness and improve health and wellbeing outcomes. 

There was a need to move into a more preventative approach and focus on how they could support the housing front door, making it easier and clearer for people at risk of homelessness to self serve and find the right pathway. Work was needed with communities to help create a new kind of conversation around the challenges of homelessness.

A Member asked “The cabinet member’s report is very comprehensive but there is no data on the estimated number of rough sleepers in Worthing. This data used to be collected in regular overnight counts. Are these counts still being conducted and if so, what is the current estimated number of rough sleepers in Worthing?

Members were told the last data collected was in July, and recorded 17 people in a single night. Rolling over the month saw over 30 rough sleepers.

A Member asked how confident the Cabinet Member was in the hardcopy paper system that existed to help those who did not have internet access. Members were informed the Cabinet Member had full confidence in the system and officers responsible for it.

A Member asked “The Cabinet Member is prioritising an increase in housing supply in Worthing to address the housing crisis. The leader of the council has recently issued another press release restating her opposition to housebuilding on Chatsmore Farm. These aims appear to be at odds with each other. Does the cabinet member agree with the leader of the council that there should be no housebuilding on Chatsmore Farm and if so, how does the cabinet member explain the apparent inconsistency between the two positions?”

Members were informed the Cabinet Member was proud of Cllr Cooper’s stance on housing at Chatsmore Farm. A climate emergency had been declared and Chatsmore Farm had not been allocated as a development site. In Worthing there was less than a snooker table of green space per person. If new homes were built on Chatsmore Farm, it would do nothing for the homeless situation. The argument made was that there were enough buildings but not enough homes. That housing was now seen as a commodity rather than a home.