Agenda item

(Report of the Assistant Director - Partnerships)

Report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships on the Housing Strategy Quarterly Update (January-March 2023) to update the Committee on actions within the Tamworth Borough Council Housing Strategy to 31 March 2023 which directly impact on health and wellbeing of Tamworth communities.

The update included non-statutory parts of the Housing Strategy that brings together all areas of housing in quarterly updates on housing-related issues impacting on wellbeing.  It contains:

-          Planning and affordable housing information

-          More advice to the public on energy-saving ideas during the cost of living crisis

-          Details of funding for Tamworth residents - GPs can also make referrals on behalf of those with relevant health-related conditions. 

-          Licensing standards for HMOs – a few more highlighting some issues with compliance

-          ‘Beat the Cold’ report including figures from Tamworth Advice Centre which experienced a significant increase in calls

-          Housing Service Team support for the homelessness and those claiming benefits

-          Initial details of inspections for private landlords in the private sector housing market

-          An update on our housing stock and repairs service (especially damp and mould)

-          Details of ECO4 obligation on energy suppliers to promote low-efficiency homes at a required threshold

-          A strategy for the homeless and those sleeping rough

-          Disabled Facilities Grants were brought back in-house in April

-          Dementia-friendly community alliance - direct support now ceased, however Cllr Clements championed the benefits of the alliance

Members sought information on the following.

·         Why is the Dementia Friendly Alliance ceasing -  The Alzheimer’s Society have announced that they wont be continuing to support Dementia Friendly Communities but Tamworth Borough Council will continue to support

·         Looking at communications for private tenants – JS confirmed we have an obligation to ensure that landlords and tenants are kept informed.  Looking to re-start the Landlord forum. 

·         EC04 the threshold of £31,000 is this a Government standard.  It is a household income and the heat service advise and pass information to TBC which goes through to Ofcom before we sign off.

·         Concerns were raised on the 3-month figure that suggested 6% of Council properties suffered damp/mould issues.  Regular condition surveys were undertaken on our current housing stock to identify properties at most risk of damp and mould.

·         Health Issues with damp and mould is any data held on adult/breathing problems.  No information held but as part of the Health Inequalities Board Policies each district and Borough will have two wards where data and medical issues will be gathered, wards will chosen on deprivation.

·         Councillors agreed that the quarterly updates should be used for information and decide from the each quarter report what items to build into the work programme.