Agenda item

Context:

County Councillor P. Hobson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, attended the meeting in response to a letter sent by the Chair containing recommendations to Cabinet following the Committee’s pre-decision scrutiny of the Discretionary Housing Payments Policy as part of its wider scrutiny of welfare reform. 

Recommendations:

1.    Cabinet are recommended to give serious consideration to agreeing an uplift to the monies it invests in the Discretionary Housing Payment fund, recognising the demonstrative impact the funding has had on vulnerable people and the risks and implications of not supporting people through further benefit reductions, particularly in terms of preventing homelessness and children being taken into the care of the Council.

2.    Given that much of this work is delivered in a household environment, Cabinet are recommended to recognise the need for an accessible corporate warning system to identify clients and households that may present a risk to lone workers. The Committee understands that Torfaen operates a similar model to protect its workforce.

3.    The Committee recommends that all the agencies working in the benefits arena such as the CAB, RSL’s and the Council consider the potential for sharing best practice and explore opportunities to create efficiencies and economies in the provision of welfare advisory services.

4.    The Committee further recommends a joint meeting with the Planning Committee to consider the relationship between homelessness, housing benefits and the provision of affordable housing in Monmouthshire.

Responses to recommendations by the Cabinet Member

1.    The Cabinet considered the recommendation and is not minded to increase Discretionary Housing Payment budget at this time.  It is forecast that demands on the budget will not be exceeded and that consequently needs and demands are being met.  In terms of the impact and risk of not supporting people, it was commented that the DHP has assisted stability in households otherwise under threat.  It was added that welfare policy and benefit change is the responsibility of Central Government; local authorities address the effects of the changes and Cabinet monitors the demand on the DHP budget as changes occur. 

            The Housing and Communities Officer explained that the support DHP      provides for affordability reasons is significant in Monmouthshire according to            feedback from all agencies. It was agreed to receive more detailed and      frequent monitoring reports to provide clearer information for the Committee.              It was added that more pressure on the budget could be anticipated next year        as the regulation changes progress (Benefit Cap – lower threshold and          changes to Housing Benefit regulations for single people, under 35, in social      housing).

2.    With regard to question of staff members working in a potentially hazardous environment (households), it was advised that it is hoped to introduce an employee warning database for staff across directorates and elected members later this year.  The early warning system in use in Torfaen has been introduced with lots of interest expressed but there is currently a lack of resources to administrate the database.  The Corporate Health and Safety Group will continue to discuss options and a Violence to Staff sub group will be created to progress the matter.  The Health and Safety Manager is also liaising with Careline to see if that system and staff can be utilised.   The progress made was welcomed.

3.    In relation to perceived duplication, it was commented that this matter will be addressed by the Financial, Economic and Digital Inclusion Partnership (FEDIP) which will review current arrangements to ensure maximisation of resources, avoid duplication and minimise gaps.  It was explained that Department for Work and Pensions and Adult Education are key partners.  Melin delivers the Universal Credit delivery agreement with Housing Benefit for budgeting and digital support for residents.  Monmouthshire supports Registered Social Landlords (RSL) and Housing Associations with regard to trying to prevent evictions. If two consecutive payments are missed, a housing association or RSL will refer to Monmouthshire’s financial inclusion officer.  Evidence of cross agency collaboration was provided: Melin staff work from Citizens Advice Bureau twice a week.  Charter Housing Association are due to start a shared housing development shortly.  Monmouthshire Housing Association have a pilot scheme in progress.

4.    It was confirmed that a joint meeting with planning meeting has been arranged on 14^th February to consider the relationship between homelessness, housing benefits and the provision of affordable housing. Some confusion was acknowledged in the remits of Select Committees in relation to housing.  It is recognised that affordability will be a pressure to address as there is an increasingly aging population, and a need to keep young people in the area to retain a balanced population.  The difficulties of the largest “middle” sector who earn too much to be allocated social housing, and not enough for a mortgage was discussed, and also the high cost to privately rent.

            It was explained that Monmouthshire CC has private landlord leasing          arrangements that contribute towards combatting homelessness.

Members Scrutiny

A Member asked a question regarding homelessness figures and it was     confirmed that the trend is stable.  There is a consistent stream of rehousing      needs and B & B placements have risen slightly.

A Member commented that the Local Development Plan (LDP) has an allocation of 35% affordable housing yet developers are reducing this 30% or below and for an adequate amount of social housing to be available, and the Planning Department needs to be firmer. 

It was queried if figures for the shortfall of affordable housing in Monmouthshire were available and responded that there is a LDP target of 96 homes per year and if achieved would meet requirements.  The current level of need and demand was explained.

The Cabinet Member clarified that for affordable accommodation, there is an aspirational 35% / 25% split (can be up to 60%) and these             figures should be communicated to the developer from the outset as a starting point then will be negotiated according          to factors such as site and location.  It was contested that the developers know their capital costs and cost of unit, and will budget on the purchase cost of land and build in viability accordingly.

Clarification was provided that Monmouthshire County Council does not build council houses adding that there are allocations in the LDP that will satisfy that need mainly via developers and sometimes Housing Associations that build social housing.  If the developers don’t proceed with a site, or there are delays in the process, the target may be delayed.  Recently, significant sites       in the county have proceeded and will increase the availability of affordable units accordingly.  It was also commented that, if a developer does not fulfil     the affordability quota, it is robustly challenged by the Council.

A Committee Member expressed concern regarding the difficulties encountered in moving people from hospital and queried if there was insufficient social housing available.  It was responded that social housing can be an option for people leaving hospital and often there is an aspiration for      ground floor or adaptable accommodation of which there is insufficient stock.  It was added that there is an ongoing process each year to identify need and circumstances, increasingly working with Social Services colleagues and      the information is factored into the affordable housing development programme. There is limited development of disabled accommodation. Housing Associations continually look to increase, redesignate and refurbish their             stock to maximise options.

In answer to a query, it was estimated that that 4000 units of social housing to rent are needed and approximately 8000 affordable to buy properties but, as affordable options increase, it is predicted that demand will rise.  The example of the Loftus development in Newport was provided as a suitable model.