Issue - meetings

(A report by Emily Spicer, Assistant Director – Wellbeing & Community Leadership)

Councillor John Baxter, Portfolio Holder – Housing, presented the report which set the context as to how the Council intended to meet the private sector housing challenges and opportunities confronting the service and to set out the key priorities for action and delivery. The four key priorities were:

·         Raising standards in the private sector;

·         Maximising use of existing private sector stock;

·         Regulating the private sector; and

·         Collaborative working.

Members noted that the Strategy set out the strategic direction for Private Sector Housing within the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership sub region. The identified four key priorities would focus on:

·         Raising standards in the private sector, paying particular attention to ensuring fire safety in Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and removing or reducing serious hazards across both single and multiple households.

·         Working with private landlords to encourage and support them to improve standards and increase the supply of affordable accommodation.

·         Taking robust action against landlords who fail to remedy hazards, licence HMOs or comply with property management regulations.

·         Maximise existing housing stock by focused interventions to return empty homes to use with the development of an Empty Homes Policy.

The strategy provided a single corporate document which outlined the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership’s vision and ensured a point of reference, accountability and governance to a shared approach to private sector housing.

Members discussed the recommendations and commented as follows:

·         The importance of addressing unlicensed HMOs and ensuring landlords complied with regulations. It was noted that proactive inspections and enforcement actions against non-compliant landlords were being implemented. Additionally, the Council worked closely with partners including the Police and Fire Services to promptly address issues. Councillor Baxter advised that HMO standards were being improved through regular monitoring to ensure landlords complied with licensing requirements, aiming to create a safe and healthy living environment for all residents.

·         Members noted that the five-person threshold had been set by Central Government. Councillor Baxter acknowledged the need for ongoing review. He added that the introduction of additional local measures, such as selective licensing schemes, was being considered which could help to address the issue more effectively.

·         Enforcement was key to the Strategy. A dedicated team was in place to identify and act against non-compliant landlords, including issuing notices, orders, and legal action if required. The team relied on community and agency intelligence to identify issues and working with landlords for compliance. Residents were encouraged to report any concerns regarding private rented property/properties.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor John Baxter and seconded by Councillor Callum Butler.

RESOLVED:

That the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Private Sector Housing Strategy be adopted, with a commitment to supporting the delivery of the vision, priorities and commitments set out within it.

(A report by Emily Spicer, Assistant Director – Wellbeing & Community Leadership)

The Portfolio Holder, Councillor John Baxter, presented the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Private Sector Housing Strategy report which provided details on the strategy which set out the strategic direction for Private Sector Housing within the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership sub region. The strategy set out four key priorities:

·         Raising standards in the private sector, paying particular attention to ensuring fire safety in Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and removing or reducing serious hazards across both single and multiple households.

·         Working with private landlords to encourage and support them to improve standards and increase the supply of affordable accommodation.

·         Taking robust action against landlords who fail to remedy hazards, licence HMOs or comply with property management regulations.

·         Maximise existing housing stock by focused interventions to return empty homes to use with the development of an Empty Homes Policy.

Councillor Baxter provided background information on the formation of the strategy, highlighting the integration of housing standards teams from Boston Borough Council (BBC), East Lindsey District Council (ELDC), and South Holland District Council (SHDC) into a single team.

Member deliberation followed which included:

Various questions were asked regarding the strategy, including the figures used in the report, staffing levels, inspections, and the handling of empty homes and unlicensed HMOs. The Assistant Director – Wellbeing & Community Leadership assured members that the figures and data were current. She added that whilst it would be reviewed as the strategy was implemented, the current team was in a suitable capacity to address this strategy. The Housing Standards Team Leader advised that currently Boston counted with a team leader, one senior officer, two housing officers and one administration officer. The Team Leader advised that it was difficult to put a figure on the number of inspections, as they were, at present, carried out generally on a reactive basis but informed members that the number were around 10 or 20 a month.

A question was asked regarding the 1,315 dwellings in need of repair in Boston and expressed concerns regarding the increasing number of HMOs that were being approved monthly by planning, questioning how these issues could be addressed with the current team. The Assistant Director – Wellbeing & Community Leadership advised that, while the strategy might require further review in the future, the team was well-positioned to meet these targets as the level of needs varied between properties and cases. Additionally, she stated that the team consistently liaised with landlords and registered providers, which made the process effective.

A question was asked about the method of data collection on unlicensed HMOs. The Assistant Director – Wellbeing & Community Leadership explained that there was reliance on community intelligence as well as on staff to report concerns. The Housing Standards Team Leader added that there was also excellent collaborative work with Lincolnshire Police and Fire and Rescue, which assisted in reporting concerns.

The Housing Standards Team Leader further informed members that, as the strategy encompassed the three councils of the Partnership, there was a provision for senior officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125