Councillor Worrall, Cabinet Member for Housing, introduced the report which set out the Council’s statutory duty to have a Homelessness Strategy which detailed the local authority’s plans for the prevention of homelessness and for securing that sufficient accommodation and support are, or will be, available for people who become homeless or who are at risk of becoming so.

Councillor J. Kent questioned what the imposed 1% reduction on rents over the next four years would have on the duty, to which the Cabinet Member explained the results of the housing needs survey highlighted that more one and two bedroom homes were needed in Thurrock and that private landlords were not always accepting of people on universal credit.

Councillor Speight welcomed the strategy, which he felt was thorough and well thought through, but was concerned at the evidence that private landlords did not accept people in receipt of universal credit payments.

Councillor B. Rice explained that this was currently being reviewed as part of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Councillor Gerrish was concerned with the stark trend of the number of households who had approached the Council for homelessness advice and assistance in Thurrock over the past three years, which was up from over 1,000 in 2012/13 to nearly 1,600 in 2013/14 and 2,700 in 2014/15.

RESOLVED:

1.         That Cabinet notes the review of homelessness in the borough - Appendix 1.

2.         That Cabinet approves the Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2015 to 2020 - Appendix 2.

3.         That Cabinet approves plans for an annual review of the Homelessness Prevention Strategy – to be presented at the September Housing Overview & Scrutiny committee meeting.

Reason for Decision - as stated in the report

This decision is subject to call-in