Agenda item

That the Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2026-2030 be received and noted.

The Deputy Chief Executive introduced a report seeking approval and publication of the Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2026 -2030.

The current Housing Strategy had been adopted in 2021 and the current Homelessness Strategy was adopted in 2020. Both documents had been reviewed and merged into the one document.

The Draft Strategy had been considered by the previous Cabinet, subject to public consultation and reviewed by the current administration, with any amendments now having been incorporated into the document attached to the report.  It was structured around three priorities which were outlined at paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 of the report.

The new Administration had stated that they wished to provide greater prominence to four areas within the document.  Those were outlined at paragraph 2.1 of the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Public Protection stated that the report had been updated to reflect the introduction of the Renter’s Rights Act and asked if there was any data on whether the Act had led to any increase in landlord enquiries, notices served, homelessness presentations or homelessness prevention cases.  If so, what trends were officers seeing and did they anticipate any further pressures on Council services over the coming months.

The Deputy Chief Executive advised that when people faced with homelessness contacted the Council, both prevention and homelessness duties were considered.  Each case would be looked at individually to determine what action can be taken to support them.

Regarding the Renter’s Rights Act, the Newcastle Housing Advice Team were beginning to see customers coming forward, with a few Section 21 Notice, issued prior to the Act implementation.  There had been an increase in presentation for quarter one customers who had been issued with a Section 81A Notice and some cases were now starting to come through as landlords had to give four months’ notice so the impact would become apparent in the near future.

Direct landlord enquiries had been limited.  However, information was  available for both landlords and tenants on the Renter’s Rights Act implementation on the Council’s website.

Other area of change that the Renter’s Rights Act brought in was for the duty of the Council to enforce breaches of the Act with a few cases having been referred to the Council and which were currently being investigated.  Should tenants need support or wish to make a complaint, that could be done through the Council’s website on the Renter’s Rights Act pages.

The implementation of the Renter’s Rights Act was phased, with the third phase expected to be implemented this coming Autumn.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Public Protection stated that the Strategy rightly identified homelessness and rough sleeping as one of the three key priorities and asked for the current position of the number of recorded rough sleepers in Newcastle and how it compared with previous years and what targets or measures would be used over the lifetime of the Strategy.

The Deputy Chief Executive advised that in June, 2025 there was a single night count of 6 and in June, 2026 there were 6.  Over the month there were 22 in June, 2025 and 14 in June, 2026.  In July, 2025 a single night was 10 and in July, 2026 was 8.  Over the month in July, 2025 was 23 and for July, 2026 a report was awaited.

Figures were reported monthly to DELTA and those were recorded on the .gov website.  Performance data was recorded in the Council’s quarterly report to Cabinet.  Case studies were also provided on a six-monthly rolling period.

There was also an added pressure of out of area rough sleepers which came from the court, hospital and supported housing provider that did not have a local connection criteria and had 86 units in the area – mainly in the town centre.  This was tackled through partnership working and joint commissioning of services.

Referring to the current reviewing of the Parks and Open Spaces Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), the Leader asked if tents and encampments had been added to it.

The Service Director for Neighbourhood Delivery confirmed that the renewed PSPO was currently out for consultation, having been considered by the Licensing and Public Protection Committee in June, 2026.  After the twelve week consultation period, tented structures and other encampment related matters would be included and reconsidered by the Licensing and Public Protection Committee, along with any other amendments that had been proposed.

The Leader asked how Navigation House was working, so far.  The Leader was advised that there was no information available on that at present.  However, it was up and running and seemed to be working well.  It appeared to be engaging with rough sleepers who had a local connection to Newcastle.

The Chief Executive stated that there had been a managed roll-out of Navigation House for the first residents and it had been received well.

The Leader made reference to the Article 4 Direction being brought to Cabinet in the Autumn where the Council would be able to outline registered and unregistered HMO’s and give a clear distinction where to draw the boundaries in order to take action.

The Portfolio Holder for Waste, Recycling and Green Spaces asked if engagement was representative  of residents views, given that only three responses were received.

The Deputy Chief Executive stated that the consultation process was by direct communication to partner organisations and the public consultation was advertised through the Council’s website.  It was agreed that responses were low, however the responses received had been noted in the report sand amendments had been made to the Policy to take into account the representations that had been received.

Resolved:    That the Housing and Homelessness Strategy 2026-2030 be

                    received and noted

Watch the debate here