Issue - meetings

Report of Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Victoria Atherstone

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Housing, Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28 is approved;

2.    the Tenancy Strategy 2023-28 is approved.

The Cabinet Member for Housing presented her report, thanking housing officers at CBC and CBH for producing the updated strategy, which highlights progress made over the last 12 months and priorities for the coming years.  She reported good progress, despite many challenges, and emphasised the importance of effective collaboration with partners, including CBH, other registered providers, the voluntary sector, county council, health services and neighbouring district authorities.

The Cabinet Member for Cyber, Regeneration and Commercial Income thanked the Cabinet Member for Housing and officers for an interesting report, saying that reading this long and complex report was made easier by the use of infographics.

Having presented the last strategy in a previous Cabinet role, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets said it was interesting to see such great progress, reduction in homelessness, and partnership working.  He said it was concerning that the figures had not improved regarding rough sleepers, and was worried that the proposed renters reform bill may make the problem worse – in the last 12 months, unaffordable increases in rent were the main reason for loss of accommodation in the private sector.  He said the government needed to do something positive here, but thanked the Cabinet Member for Housing, Martin Stacy and other officers and partners for their hard work.

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Housing, Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28 is approved;

2.    the Tenancy Strategy 2023-28 is approved.