Agenda item

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the committee review and comment on the proposals within the attached draft report, ref CAB3508(H) which is to be considered by Cabinet Committee (Housing) at its meeting on the 4 November 2025.

Karen Thorburn, Service Lead - Strategic Housing, introduced the report. The introduction included the following points:

1.    The draft Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2025-2030 set out how the council and its partners would respond to the risk of homelessness and the reality of rough sleeping.

2.    Despite national pressures, including rising housing costs and a shortage of affordable homes, the council had successfully remained in the top 25% nationally for homeless prevention activities, and the use of bed and breakfast accommodation had been kept to a minimum.

3.    The strategy was structured around four key priorities:

4.    The draft strategy was developed through engagement with stakeholders and service users and reflected a shared commitment to ensuring rough sleeping was rare, brief, and non-recurrent.

Ian Tait addressed the committee. He explained that he was often approached by individuals who were homeless or at risk of homelessness and had become involved in housing and benefit advocacy work. Mr Tait shared recent examples of individuals he had supported who, despite intervention, were now sleeping rough.

He acknowledged the complexity of the cases, which often involved addiction and mental health issues, and stressed the importance of treating each person as an individual with a high level of support. He expressed his hope that the new strategy would incorporate a genuine human touch.

The committee was asked to review and comment on the proposals within the attached draft report, ref CAB3508(H) which was to be considered by Cabinet Committee (Housing) at its meeting on the 4 November 2025.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

1.    Further information was sought on current homelessness trends and how these trends were projected to continue.

2.    A question was asked about whether there had been an increase in older people experiencing housing issues upon retirement.

3.    Clarification was sought on the impact of the withdrawal of Hampshire County Council funding and whether the proposed local government reorganisation would create further challenges.

4.    A question was raised regarding the council’s ability to access mental health services for its clients and whether this was an underlying issue for homelessness and rough sleeping.

5.    Clarification was requested on what analysis had been undertaken to identify key local partners, such as the Royal British Legion, who could help deliver the strategy.

6.    A question was asked about the increased spending on bed and breakfast accommodation, what measures were in place to ensure value for money, and whether the increase was partly due to the closure of West View House by the County Council.

7.    Further details were requested regarding the average length of stay in temporary accommodation (312 days), the reasons for this duration, and how this compared to national and previous local figures.

8.    A question was asked about the difference the full implementation of the strategy would make for the district’s residents and what was critical for its successful delivery.

9.    Clarification was sought on whether the council could provide additional financial support, given the anticipated reduction in the homeless prevention grant.

These points were responded to by Karen Thorburn, Service Lead - Strategic Housing and Simon Hendey, Strategic Director accordingly.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the draft Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030 be noted.

2.    The committee commended the officers and partner organisations for their work in preventing homelessness and noted the significant achievements made.

3.    The committee acknowledged the external challenges, including funding constraints and demographic changes, and supported the need to ensure council funding provisions continued through any period of local government reorganisation.

4.    Officers to provide data on the average length of stay in temporary accommodation for the previous two years.

Note. Following the meeting, officers provided the Temporary accommodation figures for the past two years in the table below.