The report was introduced by the Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change and the Head of Partnerships. Its purpose was as follows:

• To seek approval for public consultation on the draft Housing Support Programme Strategy, to cover 2022 – 2026. This document will replace BCBC’s existing Homelessness Strategy 2018-2022. Having this strategy in place is a Welsh Government requirement.
• The report also sought Cabinet approval to adopt and submit to Welsh Government a Rapid Rehousing Transitional Plan and a Housing Prospectus. Again, both these documents are Welsh Government requirements, but do not require public consultation, in the same way that the above referenced Strategy does.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Regeneration welcomed the report and thanked the “small but very determined” housing team in Bridgend for all the work that had gone in to producing it. He went on to note that there was significant pressure on housing and homelessness within Bridgend County. There were over 2500 people on the common housing register, over 250 people in temporary accommodation waiting for homes and 51% of that temporary accommodation currently is in tourist accommodation.

He further noted that he had asked the team for an engagement plan for the 12-week consultation. There were real life experiences that needed to be heard and that it was necessary to ensure that colleagues in scrutiny committees and across the Chamber feel like they've been heard and listened to.

The Leader echoed the appreciation of the work carried out by the Housing team. He noted that they were the ones dealing on a daily basis with the presentations that the Council was receiving from people who are homeless and are in desperate need of our help.

The Deputy Leader noted that she was encouraged by the report and drew the attention of Members to the stakeholder views. A number of stakeholders spoke very highly of the amount and variety of supported accommodation available within the Borough, but more options were needed. She also thought that one of the options that needs to be highlighted is our looked after children. There was also a care and support element that was required as well, and that was a further pressure on budgets.

The Leader and Deputy Leader highlighted a number of other significant issues as part of the discussion around this agenda item, including the following:

• the value of structured interviews to capture the experiences of stakeholders.
• the value of multi-agency and partnership approaches to providing services and help to the citizens of Bridgend (and in particular, for rough sleepers). 
• the stark rise in the number of households on the Common Housing Register – up 205% since 2016.
• the importance of the population needs assessment and whether it was being taken seriously by registered social landlords.
• Sometimes there was a picture painted of who is in housing need and who is homeless, and that isn't always the case. There were over 100 hundred applications currently on the common housing register for people who want sheltered accommodation, so it's not always the case that the homeless are young, single people. Unfortunately, there is a very diverse range of homeless people.
• Increasingly, there are presentations from people who have become homeless and unfortunately, they haven't contacted BCBC at the earliest opportunity. It was vital that if someone has received an eviction notice, they need to contact the Council straight away because it might be possible to support them.

RESOLVED:

Cabinet:

• approved a 12-week public consultation on the draft Homelessness Strategy and Action Plan (Appendices 1 & 4).
• approved the submission of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (Appendix 2) and Housing Prospectus (Appendix 3) to Welsh Government.
• noted that the final Homelessness Strategy and Action Plan will be presented to Cabinet for approval prior to formal submission to Welsh Government.