Agenda item
Annual Strategic Delivery and Performance Reporting 2022/23
Minutes:
The Committee considered a report is to be considered by the Mayor in Cabinet on the 26th of July 2023 that provided an overview of the planned activity to focus on the needs of the Borough’s communities. The main points of the discussions summarised as follows:
The Board:
v Noted that the Local Government Act 1999 requires the Borough as a best value authority to “make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness”. Monitoring of performance information and acting on the findings is an important way in which that obligation is being fulfilled.
v Noted last year has seen a new administration begin work following the Council and mayoral election of May 2022. The Council has created a new strategic plan for the 2022-26 period and started investing in a range of services to delivering strategic improvement in the way the council serves its residents e.g., the Council has adopted eight new corporate priorities that provide a framework for action to improve services and bring about strategic change for Tower Hamlets.
v Noted that at the last Full Council the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding (Councillor Kabir Ahmed had stated that (i) the number of homeless households who were supported to move into affordable, sustainable housing was 317 (under our target of 470); (ii) of the 317 homeless households, 148 moved on to private rent sector accommodation and a further 169 to social housing.
v Noted that as an indicator to understand the issues and the barriers faced by residents at the last Full Council meeting the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding (Councillor Kabir Ahmed) had been asked how many residents had applied for homelessness support and were then rejected and had applied for the 2nd or 3rd time. In response it was noted that the Council does have targets and some of the targets are from Government. The Council are reviewing its polices and processes and take this issue seriously.
v Noted that the housing strategy incorporates a commitment to raise private rented housing standards e.g., reviewing licensing schemes, enhanced support for landlords to improve quality and promoting tenant awareness.
v Noted that the Borough is working to enhance the relationship between landlords, lettings agents and tenants, A strong theme underpinning these activities is the role of the Council in facilitating the ability of other organisations to tackle issues in the private rented sector through.
v Noted that the supply of housing has not been keeping up with demand as not enough homes are being built to replace those being taken out of the social housing stock. Therefore, getting access to housing of any type is becoming increasingly difficult for low-income households within Tower Hamlets.
v Noted that successful prosecutions has highlighted the issues involved in enforcement cases e.g., unlicensed, overcrowded; people being housed based on cash for a bed space and sham licences.
v Noted that following a recent article in the national press regarding issues raised by staff in the homeless service. The Borough has appointed an independent investigator to examine the issues raised by staff. Whilst the Council is where possible taking immediate action to address some of the issues raised. As the investigation is ongoing, it was not possible to make any further comment at this time. Notwithstanding the above the Council wants to be as open and as accessible to the questions that have been raised about the performance in relation to homelessness.
v Agreed that Tower Hamlets needs to be able to ensure genuinely affordable homes continue to be built for rent and sale across the whole country for future generations. This is the best way to reduce waiting lists and housing benefit, keep rents low and help more people get on the housing ladder. Affordable rented homes are crucial for enabling those who want to buy their own property to save money towards a deposit. However, the cost-of-living crisis, the mortgage interest rates and rise in house prices above earnings makes housing less affordable for a large and growing proportion of residents. Whilst there has been a 20% increase in the asking rents, a significant reduction of in the number of properties available for letting and in the commercial market for four bedrooms, the rate is 41% and three bedrooms, it is 36%.
v Noted that to improve this situation the Council have recently agreed to also provide deposits towards rental properties and developing incentives to landlords.
v Noted that the Council is recruiting additional staff to this essential front-line service so that practical and long-term housing solutions can be found for those homeless or at risk of homelessness.
v Noted that London is in the middle of a housing crisis. The longstanding shortage of social housing in the capital has driven up pressures and is the fundamental factor behind London’s appalling homelessness rates.
v Noted that the Borough is determined to turn this situation around, but for too long LBTH has lacked the resources required to build housing at mass scale. Whilst the challenges of housing shortages and affordability predate and have been exacerbated by the pandemic accessing additional resources will be crucial for tackling homelessness and will provide a major boost to the post-pandemic economic recovery.
v Noted that following the declaration of the waste emergency in 2022, the Council has been auditing 550 blocks of flats across the Borough to assess options for installing recycling infrastructure for a variety of different sites. Whilst following a recruitment campaign, 33 new recycling champions have joined the council scheme.
v Noted it is one of the Councils priorities to develop a clean and green future. It focuses on key areas of sustainability, including air quality, waste, and carbon emission. Key activities include work to drive up the borough’s recycling rate, reducing CO2 emissions, and implementing a number of initiatives to improve air quality, including making Tower Hamlets one of the best boroughs for walking and cycling through our cycle training programmes.
v Noted that at the end of year monitoring stage, 51 performance indicators are reported: 25 performance indicators have met or are exceeding their target, 5 are between target and minimum, and 9 are falling short. Four indicators await monitoring data, 6 are not targeted but are included for reference, and 2 await the universal free school meals service to be in place at secondary schools.
v Noted that the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee has expressed its concerns over a long period of time in regard to (i) the increasing numbers of applications to the homelessness section, (ii) the scarcity of available temporary accommodation and the high levels of rent charged to the council, (iii) significant service pressures are being faced due to the difficulties in procuring suitable accommodation within the Borough; (iv) the need to place families in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation as well as the increasing need for properties to be provided outside of Tower Hamlets; (v) the need to provide more resources to the Housing Options Team to address these issues.
v Noted that across London there is declining access to social housing which has seen councils forced to increasingly turn towards the private rented sector to house low-income households. However, rapidly increasing rents and increasing competition for properties is making this near impossible. As a result, increasing numbers of London councils have been forced to house people in temporary accommodation, despite decreasing supply.
v Agreed that the homelessness system in London is at breaking point. Temporary accommodation should be a short-term emergency measure yet, across London it is increasingly becoming the default solution for many councils. Which is leaving thousands of people living out their lives in a permanent state of limbo, enduring cramped, unsuitable conditions – with a fifth of households in temporary accommodation stuck there for over five years.”
v Agreed that for too long the emphasis has been on managing homelessness, not building the social homes and councils need to provide security to low-income households. The Government needs to address the chronic lack of social housing and increase housing benefit, so it covers the true cost of rents. This situation cannot be allowed to escalate further and consign more lives to the misery of homelessness.”
v Agreed the importance of the transition for children and young people with SEND especially with regards to the provision for the Boroughs younger residents e.g., Annual reviews need to make adequate plans for transition to adulthood and any appropriate services.
v Agreed that there is a need to improve the understanding of projected future demand for SEND and specialist education provision in particular as an area for coproduction with the parents and carers.
v Noted that senior leaders recognise the importance of continued investment in the early identification in relation to SEND and considerable joint work is being delivered in order that families remain known to services, to ensure that no child with additional needs is missed.
Following a full and wide-ranging discussion, the Chair thanked all those in attendance for their contributions to get a sense on the current situation and the future challenges that the Borough continues to face.