Issue - meetings

This Supported & Specialist Housing Strategy (Appendix1) sets out BCP Council’s ten?year commitment to developing specialist housing and commissioning appropriate support services to meet the needs of residents. The strategy is required under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which mandates all local authorities to publish a supported housing strategy by May 2027.

This is the first such strategy for BCP Council and outlines the projected requirements of the following resident groups, ensuring access to appropriate accommodation and support models that promote independence and community integration.

·       Older people (over 65 years)

·       Working age adults with physical disabilities, long term conditions and/or sensory impairments

·       Adults with severe and enduring mental illness

·       Adults with learning disabilities and/or autistic people

·       People with complex housing histories and/or experiencing homelessness

·       Young people

RESOLVED that the proposed Supported & Specialist Housing Strategy at Appendix 1 be approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Housing and Regulatory Services

Reason

• To meet statutory obligations under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, ensuring a published strategy is in place.
• Sets out BCP Council’s commitment to developing supported and specialist housing in line with projected resident needs over the coming decade and ensure that both the Council’s Newbuild Housing & Acquisition Strategy and the Local Plan reflect this.
• To reduce pressures on health and social care services through the provision of good quality housing which improves health and wellbeing and promotes independence and choice
• To provide guidance to private developers and social housing providers in shaping development plans for the area.

·      To maximise opportunities for central government capital and revenue funding by putting in place a strategy that sets out the specialist housing

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'I' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the Supported & Specialist Housing Strategy (Appendix1) set out BCP Council’s ten?year commitment to developing specialist housing and commissioning appropriate support services to meet the needs of residents.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that the strategy was required under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, which mandated all local authorities to publish a supported housing strategy by May 2027.

Cabinet was advised that this was the first such strategy for BCP Council and outlined the projected requirements of the following resident groups, ensuring access to appropriate accommodation and support models that promote independence and community integration.

·       Older people (over 65 years)

·       Working age adults with physical disabilities, long term conditions and/or sensory impairments       

·       Adults with severe and enduring mental illness

·       Adults with learning disabilities and/or autistic people

·       People with complex housing histories and/or experiencing homelessness

·       Young people

The Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee addressed the Cabinet advising that the Committee had not yet had the opportunity to consider the report but was sure that the Committee would welcome the strategy and that he was supportive of the recommendations.

Councillor George Farquhar addressed the Cabinet advising that in his role as the councils appointed armed forces champion he would welcome the opportunity to feed into the strategy with his experiences to see how this area could be best supported.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the report highlighting the importance of the strategy.

In summing up the Portfolio Holder advised that he would be happy to work with Councillor Farquhar and for him to feed in any comments he would like to make.

RESOLVED that the proposed Supported & Specialist Housing Strategy at Appendix 1 be approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Housing and Regulatory Services

Reason

• To meet statutory obligations under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, ensuring a published strategy is in place.
• Sets out BCP Council’s commitment to developing supported and specialist housing in line with projected resident needs over the coming decade and ensure that both the Council’s Newbuild Housing & Acquisition Strategy and the Local Plan reflect this.
• To reduce pressures on health and social care services through the provision of good quality housing which improves health and wellbeing and promotes independence and choice
• To provide guidance to private developers and social housing providers in shaping development plans for the area.

·      To maximise opportunities for central government capital and revenue funding by putting in place a strategy that sets out the specialist housing