Issue - meetings

To consider the joint report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy seeking approval from Cabinet for the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 to go to public consultation and to approve the Rough Sleeping Action Plan 2019.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  it be noted that the engagement work carried out to create the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and the involvement of key stakeholders, including pre-consultation engagement

(2)  the Draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy can go out to public consultation

(3)  the Rough Sleeping Action Plan be adopted.

Cabinet considered the joint report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy that sought approval for the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 to go to public consultation and approval of the Rough Sleeping Action Plan 2019.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy introduced the report.  He thanked the Head of Communities and her team for the impressive depth of their work and advised Members that the feedback from stakeholders had been positive.  The Cabinet Member for Environment commented that it was good to combine Homelessness and Housing Strategies to better address need.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure reminded Members of the importance of taking action in what was a complex area.  The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy drew Members’ attention to the range of measures to raise standards in private sector accommodation (Appendix 1) and commented that it was right to explore all options and work with private landlords to address issues.  The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy stated that although it was important for the administration to be ambitious and challenge itself, the expectations for vulnerable people must not be unrealistic and that it was essential that their voices be listened to.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  it be noted that the engagement work carried out to create the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and the involvement of key stakeholders, including pre-consultation engagement

(2)  the Draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy can go out to public consultation

(3)  the Rough Sleeping Action Plan be adopted.