Agenda item

Purpose

1.    To outline the work of Portsmouth City Council's Housing Service as a Social Housing Landlord in Havant.

2.    To detail the material that will form part of a dedicated information page on the PCC website which provides an overview of the landlord services for the housing stock in Havant and highlights the work undertaken for the benefit of PCC tenants, leaseholders, and the wider community.

3.    Note that the webpage was published on 21 July 2022.

4.    Note that PCC/HBC officer liaison meetings are in place to focus on all aspects of the housing service operating in Havant.

Mark Fitch - Head of Local Housing Authority, introduced the information only report and updated the meeting on:

·         The work of Portsmouth City Council's Housing Service as a Social Housing Landlord in Havant.

·         The material that will form part of a dedicated information page on the PCC website, which provides an overview of the landlord services for the housing stock in Havant and highlights the work undertaken for the benefit of PCC tenants, leaseholders and the wider community

·         The publication of the webpage on 21 July 2022.

·         The Portsmouth City Council (PCC) and Havant Borough Council (HBC) officer liaison meetings that take place to focus on all aspects of the housing service operating in Havant.

One third of PCC housing stock is in Havant.  Following a meeting between PCC and HBC it became apparent that the promotion of PCC services for residents of Havant and other people needed to be added to the website.  An information pack has been produced which is now live on the PCC website.

Questions from Residents' Consortium

In response to questions and comments the following points were clarified:

·         Residents do not currently attend meetings with HBC and PCC as the meeting is an officer's meeting.  However, if that would be beneficial to residents then setting up such a meeting could be explored.

Members'' questions

In response to members' questions and comments the following points were clarified:

·         Portsmouth has 100% nomination/allocation rights on their existing stock in the borough of Havant.  In regard to new developments, there will be new nomination agreement for each site, that is negotiated with HBC, dependant on the number of new homes being developed.  Small developments of 5 homes or less will be nominated to by PCC.  Larger developments will have an element of homes that will be nominated to by HBC, either first let only or in perpetuity.

·         Anyone nominated for a PCC property in Havant has to be on the central Portsmouth housing register - they do not need to have local connections in Havant but will need to meet the requirements of PCC's Allocations Policy, to be accepted onto the Housing register.

·         There are 2 Housing Registers, PCC's central register and Hampshire Home Choice. The PCC housing register covers the PCC owned stock in the HBC area.  Hampshire Home Choice covers all social housing stock across Hampshire.  People can be registered on both housing registers, but these are not in competitions with each other, or for the same properties.  People may meet the eligibility criteria to join both registers.

Summing up, Councillor Sanders observed how useful it is to highlight the PCC work that happens in another authority.  He was impressed that the webpage has already been published as this shows the benefit of meetings being public.  Councillor Sanders understood the confusion concerning the two housing lists and clarified his understanding that one is for Havant tenants and covers the whole of Hampshire, whereas the other list is focused on PCC tenants.  It is important that PCC duties to residents in Havant are not overlooked.

The Cabinet Member noted the report.