Agenda item

This report outlines the background to and drivers for the initiation of a county-wide housing, accommodation and homes strategy and sets out the initial findings of a baseline assessment exercise, upon which key priorities and action will be derived, through a partnership-based, collaborative deliberation programme.

Witnesses:

Michael Coughlin - Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth, Surrey County Council

Sarah Haywood - Partnership and Community Safety Lead, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey

Key points raised in the discussion:

1.    The Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) noted that:

·      The report was prompted by a number of drivers including economic and health, many would be aware about the links between health and housing, workforce was a key issue and many employers were impacted by the housing market on the ability to recruit and retain staff.

·      The link between housing and security and mental health is well made, there are a number of links between the work of the Board and the wider health market and housing in general.

·      The report sets out the role of housing in health as embodied in the Adult Social Care White Paper that every decision about someone's care should be a decision about their housing. As a result, SCC had commissioned this strategic piece of work.

·      ‘A County-wide Strategy for Housing, Accommodation and Homes’ is broad in scope and includes an ambitious range of issues to address, acknowledging that the housing market is dynamic and complex both in terms of the private sector and social housing and social housing rents.

·      The approach being taken is to look at the broader issues, to seek to undertake desktop research analysis and over thirty face-to-face interviews had taken place with representatives from all aspects of the housing market and housing provision to achieve a ‘Baseline Assessment’, a summary of the findings is attached at Annex 2 including the top strategic themes.

·      The focus is on county-wide strategic issues as opposed to local site specific or housing related policies or service issues at the local level and it does not take on matters that are the statutory responsibilities of others other than influencing and building the evidence work already undertaken.

·      The purpose of the ‘Baseline Assessment’ is to then test that approach to provide assurance that the key relevant issues within housing have been captured, it was being taken to several different audiences to test and quality assure it in greater detail - providing confidence for the next stage.

·      The next stage of the process would be to hold themed deliberative workshops - Annex 3 - out of that deliberative piece of work over the next couple of months, the intention would be to create a broad strategy which would contain proposals for lobbying which would assist in addressing the issues in Surrey or individual or collective action that could be taken.

·      As shown in the findings, partnership is a key part of the strategy and that is why an item has come to the Board and would go elsewhere to engage a broader group of partners, acting collectively where possible to achieve better outcomes.

·      The findings and the strategic priorities would be taken to a summit on 8 December 2022, through a proposed panel discussion including questions and answers; to be taken in final form through to a variety of bodies in January 2023 for enacting thereafter.

·      There was a huge amount of background work, upon request Board members could be provided with the 88 slide deck of the research and the performance management information that had been gathered. 

2.    A Board member asked whether it would be possible to request condition surveys from all of Surrey’s housing association providers in terms of the current maintenance status of all of their properties. As whilst SCC relies heavily on those borough and district councils that have social housing provided by housing associations, there was sometimes a questionable standard of the quality that they are providing. It would be helpful to get a sense of how satisfied SCC is with the providers that it indirectly relies upon.

-       In response, the Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) noted that SCC has access to the local authority Decent Homes Standard through the work done with the consultants. He would look to see whether the Registered Social Landlord standards could be obtained, he was unsure whether that was publicly available information.

3.    A Board member noted that she and officers were excited about being at the current stage in terms of the strategy and that SCC has commissioned this piece of work. She highlighted that housing is a touch point across all Directorates and it was a golden thread throughout the work of the former Mental Health Partnership Board. She noted that the 88 slide deck was fascinating as it highlights the inequalities across the county.

-       The Chairman noted that the 88 slide deck was an exciting read containing good data and insights, which could be circulated upon request.

4.    The Partnership and Community Safety Lead (OPCC) noted that she was unsure whether the Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) had spoken to anyone in Surrey Police and offered to put him in contact with the Head of Anti-Social Behaviour and Partnerships for Surrey Police, who was presenting to the National Landlords Association on the impact of housing and community harm and she would be a key person to bring in discussions around safe tenancies and how to create that safe space for everyone in their homes.

-       The Chairman noted that Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) was happy to be contacted on the matter.

RESOLVED:

1.    Endorsed the consultative research work undertaken in partnership, to establish a strategic baseline assessment of accommodation and housing across the county.

2.    Approved the proposed deliberative engagement approach to secure the views and buy-in of partner bodies to the identification of strategic priorities for accommodation and housing in Surrey.

3.    Agreed to a further report, confirming the Accommodation and Housing Strategic needs and priorities, coming to Health and Wellbeing Board in February 2023.

Actions/further information to be provided:

1.    Upon request Board members will be provided with the 88 slide deck of the research and the performance management information.

2.    The Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) will look to see whether the Registered Social Landlord standards could be obtained and he will liaise with the Board member (Denise Turner-Stewart).

3.    The Partnership and Community Safety Lead (OPCC) will put the Executive Director - Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth (SCC) in contact with the Head of Anti-Social Behaviour and Partnerships for Surrey Police, concerning housing and safety.