Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Housing Services regarding the homelessness prevention initiatives and housing options currently being used by the Council and suggesting other good practices.

Noted the introduction of Homelessness Prevention Initiatives and Housing Options; authorised additional incentives to private landlords and agents, a homelessness prevention fund policy framework and an extension of the private sector lease agreement with King Street Housing Society to provide permanent homes, agreed to make appropriate representations regarding the problems of engaging with private landlords be made to the Local Government Association and the Members of Parliament for the Huntingdon and North West Cambridgeshire Constituencies and requested the submission of further reports outlining the anticipated costs of providing additional incentives to private landlords and agents and on the overall progress of the initiatives.

By means of a report by the Head of Housing Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Cabinet were acquainted with the homelessness prevention initiatives and housing options currently being used by the Council.

In considering other good practice initiatives and options that could be introduced to further improve performance in this area, Members’ attention was drawn to the high level of homeless persons reliant on housing benefit and the reluctance of landlords and agents to offer tenancies to households in such circumstances.  Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the homelessness prevention initiatives and housing options already introduced be noted;

(b)  that additional incentives to private landlords and agents, a homelessness prevention fund policy framework and an extension of the private sector lease agreement with King Street Housing Society to provide permanent homes be authorised;

(c)  that appropriate representations regarding the problems of engaging with private landlords be made to the Local Government Association and the Members of Parliament for the Huntingdon and North West Cambridgeshire constituencies; and

(d)  that further reports be submitted to Cabinet outlining the anticipated costs of providing additional incentives to private landlords and agents and on the overall progress of the initiatives.