Agenda item

To receive the report of Helen Baeckstroem, Strategy & Policy Team Manager.

RECEIVED the report of Helen Baeckstroem, Strategy and Policy Team Manager.

NOTED

1.    The verbal introduction by Councillor Gina Needs, Cabinet Member for Social Housing in which she thanked Officers for all their hard work on the draft Strategy.

2.    The report presents the new draft Tenancy Strategy 2021-2025 for discussion as part of its engagement process before approval by Cabinet.

3.    The draft strategy outlines the Councils’ commitment to good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods through the setting of high standards for tenancies in the Borough and also sets out requirements regarding lifetime tenancies for social housing and also recommends good practice for private landlords and letting agents in regard to the tenancy agreements they use.

4.    The draft strategy proposes that all tenants of social housing are given lifetime tenancies to enable them to live safe, healthy and confident lives in settled communities across the borough.

5.    Key points of the reported highlighted by Karen Lucas, Head of Housing Management, Helen Baeckstroem, Strategy and Policy Team Manager and Joanne Drew, Director of Housing & Regeneration. Members were invited to raise questions and comments.

6.    Officers advised that the draft strategy has benefited from engagement and formal consultation with a wide range of stakeholders throughout its development.

7.    In response to questions from Members, Officers explained that the policy focused on four priority areas which were:

·         Residents have a clear understanding of their tenancy;

·         Lifetime tenancies are the preferred option as to the best approach for addressing housing need in the borough;

·         Residents are able to stay in their home for as long as it remains suitable for them;

·         If a tenancy ends, residents are supported to avoid homelessness

8.    In response to Members’ queries regarding what happens when a property is no longer suitable for a tenant’s needs due to overcrowding, Officers explained the allocations scheme which awards priority to tenants in severely overcrowded properties. Resident Relationship Officers work closely with these families to offer support, help and advice with various other schemes that can be accessed.

9.    Councillor Brown expressed concerns regarding the number of residents on the housing register as well as the number of families living in overcrowded accommodation and asked how the council intended to address these issues. Officers explained that due to the national housing crisis there were just not enough homes to meet the needs at the right price point to address this. However, Enfield Council is working to make sure that existing stock is used most effectively. Further information was provided on various schemes in place such as home share, under occupation incentives and a vacancy chain system which creates a chain of moves that allows people to end up in the right size property. The Council is being as active and pro-active as possible in an attempt to address these issues.

10.In relation to the Draft Tenancy Strategy, Councillor Smith expressed his concerns regarding the relationship the Council envisaged between itself and the HAS. He said he would be concerned if Enfield Council went further than trying to persuade Registered Providers (RPs) to adopt the strategy but instead insisted and he very much hoped that it would not be the latter.  Officers gave assurances that the Council wanted to retain as positive relationships as possible with its RPs.

11.Members agreed that this strategy was good for cohesion and social inclusion and also commented that long term tenancies are extremely important for children and young people especially in regard to schooling and education. It was also felt that long term tenancies can create pride in homes as well as pride in the neighbourhood.

The Cabinet Member and Officers were thanked for attending and presenting the Draft Tenancy Strategy.