Muhammed Butt joins 118 other council leaders in calling for urgent action by the Chancellor on councils' housing costs

 Brent Council was recently warned by its finance officers about the financial pressures on the Council and the need to make further ‘savings’ that will impact on services. The warning comes in the wake of a substantial increase in the Council’s housing costs as a result of the soaring numbers of homeless people, higher rents in the private sector when placing such families in temporary accommodation, and the shortage of private rented accommodation. There are also pressures on the Adult Social Care budget (higher charges are in the pipeline) and some local authority schools are running deficit budgets.

 

Faced with that situation the leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt, has signed a letter along with 118 other council leaders to the Chancellor calling on him to address the homelessness and temporary accommodation crisis that threatens local government’s financial sustainability and the services upon which England’s most vulnerable people rely.

 

The letter is signed by councils from across the country led by Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Independents. It follows an emergency summit held last week (Tuesday, 31 October), co-hosted by Eastbourne Borough Council and the District Councils’ Network. 

 

According to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the cost of temporary accommodation to councils reached £1.7bn last year and it is increasing rapidly.

 

The signatories included 108 district councils – two-thirds of the total. In many parts of the country, district councils are the tier of principal government closest to communities and they oversee services including housing, leisure centres and waste collection. The rising cost of temporary accommodation hits district councils particularly hard due to a large proportion of their budgets being devoted to housing.

 

The Councils are calling for a meeting with the Chancellor ahead of his Autumn Statement to consider their demands:

 

This is the letter:

 

 

Dear Jeremy,

 

The unprecedented pressure on temporary accommodation services

 

An unprecedented number of people are turning to councils as the last option for support when they face homelessness. As councils, we are proud of the help we give to people when they need it, but our situation is becoming untenable. We have had no option but to rapidly escalate our use of temporary accommodation, which is threatening to overwhelm our budgets.  

The level of concern was demonstrated when 158 councils attended an emergency summit on 31^st October, organised by the District Councils’ Network (DCN) and Eastbourne Borough Council. The scale of the problem was also shown by a recent DCN survey in which 96% of our member councils reported an increase in use of temporary accommodation – four-fifths of them describing this as ‘significant’. 

The ensuing increase in costs is a critical risk to the financial sustainability of many local authorities and we urge you to act swiftly to ensure we can continue our vital work. The pressure is particularly acute for district councils because housing costs constitute a far bigger proportion of our overall expenditure. 

Without urgent intervention, the existence of our safety net is under threat. The danger is that we have no option but to start withdrawing services which currently help so many families to avoid hitting crisis point. There will also be a knock-on impact on other cherished council services, which councils could also have to scale back, and on other parts of the public sector – such as the NHS – which will be left to pick up the pieces. 

Councils and our partner organisations in health, policing and education, as well as the voluntary sector, have had considerable success in recent years in moving the whole local system towards preventing homelessness, rather than just dealing with the consequences.  

However, the supply of permanent, affordable housing has fallen in many places while the impact of the rising cost of living is making housing too costly for many people. This impacts on the health and wellbeing of households affected. Some areas also experience added pressure due to the placement of asylum seekers in local hotels and other temporary accommodation. 

We do believe there is a way forward, as DCN set out to you in our Autumn Statement submission on 13 October. We are urgently calling on the Government to: 

·       Raise Local Housing Allowance rates to a level that will cover at least 30% of local market rent and commit to annual uprating. 

·       Provide £100m additional funding for Discretionary Housing Payments in 2023-24 and an additional £200m in 2024-25.  

·       Provide a £150m top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2024-25. 

·       Review the cap for housing benefit subsidy rate for local authority homelessness placements. 

·       Develop policy to stimulate retention and supply in the privately rented sector. 

·       Give councils the long-term funding, flexibility and certainty needed to increase the supply of social housing. 

Considering the urgency and scale of these matters, we would welcome a meeting with you ahead of the Autumn Statement. 

We firmly believe that action on these issues will ensure that all councils can continue to provide an effective homelessness safety net. We also believe that these measures will be cost effective by ensuring homelessness is prevented, reducing public expenditure in future. 

The human cost of homelessness is immense. With your help we can prevent it worsening.

 

In total, 119 council leaders from across England have signed this letter.

 

 

Brent Council attempts to address the Strategic Risks ahead and introduces new risk areas

Strategic Risk Areas - red equals highest risk and highest impact (5/5)

Tomorrow's Brent Audit and Standards Advisory Committee (6pm) LINK will be discussing the Strategic Risks Register compiled by the Council.

 

 

The following new risk areas have been added to the Strategic Risk Register:

 

Cost of living crisis

The cost of living crisis caused by rising rates of inflation and fuel/energy costs, may result in more families and households to fall into unemployment and poverty, which may lead to increased level of service demand on the Council and place additional pressure on front-line services.

Recruitment and retention

Failure to recruit and retain sufficient permanent staff to a significant number of posts, including senior managers, leaves services without sufficient and/or sufficiently qualified staff leading to services being impaired and an overreliance on agency/interim staff.

Increased demand from migration and people movement

There is a risk that a sustained increase in migration and movement of
people could result in increased demand on the Council's critical front-line services (including housing, education and looked after children), which may result in service deterioration, financial pressures and also impact on the wider cohesion of the community.

 

NEU Video on the Cost of Living Crisis calling for support for June 18th demonstration

 

The full report is available HERE. It is important for the reader to assess whether the Action Plans adequately address the risks in the various areas. I include two extracts below.

 

The Cost of Living Crisis is clearly important in Brent. The Risk Register states: 

COST OF LIVING CRISIS (A)

 

RISK SUMMARY

 

The cost of living crisis caused by rising rates of inflation, National Insurance, and fuel/energy costs, may result in more families and households to fall into poverty and unemployment, which may lead to increased level of service demand on the Council and place additional pressure on front-line services.

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, PROGESS AND CONCERNS

 

The Brent Resident Support Fund (RSF) is a discretionary support fund available to Brent residents who are in financial difficulties, for example struggling with food, utility bills and other household essentials. For 2021/22, the RSF budget was £3million.

The government announcement of 3 February 2022 regarding Energy Bills Rebate included provision for most properties in council tax bands A to D to receive a £150 rebate payment. It is estimated that the total amount paid could be up to £14.5m at full take-up.

The announcement also made provision for local authorities to create a fuel rebate discretionary scheme to support some properties in bands E to H. The government have provided funding of £1,933,800 allowing the Council to establish a scheme to support bill payers not eligible under the main scheme for properties in bands A to D.

A cross-Council Cost of Living Crisis Group has been set-up to look at the impact of the crisis across all services and to ensure a joined-up approach.

A Food and Fuel Poverty Toolkit has been prepared which contains links and signposts to various organisations to support residents. Staff and Members have been briefed and trained on this and it has been presented at departmental management teams and relevant services.

A Financial Inclusion Dashboard is in place which draws together data from across various datasets, including council tax support and benefits. This is used to identify residents who may need targeted supports (i.e. in arrears). It also provides a strategic oversight for senior management.

 

ACTION PLAN

 

1. Further enhance the Financial Inclusion Dashboard by introducing additional datasets to help identify residents in need of targeted support.
2. To use the Food and Fuel Poverty Toolkit to prepare a leaflet to be sent to all residents signposting them to various organisations that can provide support.
3. To continue to roll-out training regarding the Food and Fuel Poverty Toolkit crisis toolkit to partners and the third-sector.
4. A report will be taken to Cabinet for approval in June 2022, outlining all the measures currently in place and other planned actions to be taken by the Council. The report will also seeks approval for additional funding for RSF for three years from 22/23

The need for truly affordable housing, including Council housing, has been a major theme of this blog. In this section I was looking for an action concerning the issue particularly in the light of the concerns raised by Philip Grant over the Cecil Avenute development. 

 

During the  election campaign candidates at the Housing Hustings were concerned about developers 'getting away' with low levels of truly affordable housing and there were suggestions that the Council should engage its own in-house experts in Viability Assessments, rather than external providers. Developers use Viability Assessments to demonstrate that a development is not financially viable, or does not provide an adequate return if they provide the amount of afforable housing that the Council expects.  There was also support for a separate Housing Scrutiny Committee. These issues are not addressed: 

 

LACK OF SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION (D)

 

RISK SUMMARY

 

There is a risk that as a result of the limited supply of affordable accommodation, in the Private Rented Sector , settled Temporary Accommodation (TA) and Social Housing, progress made towards increasing the sufficient supply of accommodation to meet the demand from homeless households could be reversed. This could lead to greater reliance on emergency temporary accommodation, which would have impacts on the wellbeing and quality of life for residents, and also provide an additional burden.

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, PROGRESS AND CONCERNS

 

In 2012, Brent had 3,176 homeless households living in TA, which was the largest number in the country. By 2018, this number had reduced to 2,450 and it now stands at 1,584. With progress being made on the New Council Homes programme, we believe we will meet the need for 1-3 bedroom properties. The picture is more limited for families in need of a 4+ bed accommodation, where will believe a significant shortfall will remain.

The recent economic downturn related to the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis has resulted in many households facing the risk of homeless. Some of these households are affected by the Overall Benefit Cap, which makes finding alternative private rented accommodation in the borough extra difficult. This means that the families are unable to afford Private Rented Accommodation (at the LHA rate) or settled temporary accommodation, in TA leasing schemes.

The greatest control we can exert on the model is building new Council-owned supply, and encouraging RSLs to build what we need. We can also exert control through social housing re-lets/voids, private rented sector offers, and new build social housing. The Team are also working with the affected families to support them to secure work, and so be exempt from the cap, as well as identifying households who are accruing debt, in order to proactively make contact and offer assistance at an earlier stage, to prevent homelessness.

The Housing Needs Service are working with Notting Hill Genesis HA, who supply TA through the HAL scheme, to procure more property in the North of Brent, where LHA rates are lower.

 

ACTION PLAN

 

1. To continue delivering the NCHP at pace, with a focus on large family homes.
2. To continue to look at additional purchases of street properties that meet specific needs.
3. To continue review and explore options for the building of a new temporary accommodation scheme that would provide an additional 100 units of temporary accommodation.

The highest risk/impact area is the increase in the Dedicated Schools Grant High Needs Block Deficit. (C) This is the funding need for special needs pupils who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which was in deficit by £10.5m in 2020/21.  This has is being addressed by putting in early support to reduce the need for EHCPs, creating more places for such children within the borough and ensuring that costs are collected other local authorities that have children in Brent schools.  In addition to these actions there is a short statement on lobbying central government. An action that could of course be applied to the funding of local government in general.

Have you say on how Brent Council allocates social housing to those on the waiting list

King's Drive Estate, Wembley this morning

Brent Council is consulting on how social housing is allocated to people on the housing waiting list. This is what they say:

Residents are being invited to have their say on how the council allocates social housing in Brent.

The council is launching a consultation that asks people to give their views on the criteria for distributing the limited number of social houses currently available.

Brent is proposing changes to ensure that social housing is shared out fairly to people in need. These changes include a proposal to give residents in temporary accommodation priority for social housing that becomes available on the estate where they are living, so that they don't have to move neighbourhoods. Another change looks at giving priority to homeless families living in temporary accommodation on an estate that is being regenerated to move into social housing within the same area.

The full list of proposed changes is available online here. The consultation will end on 22 January 2019, ahead of the Cabinet decision's in March with the agreed changes then set to begin in April.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, said: "It's really important that social housing is distributed fairly given the chronic shortage of genuinely affordable homes in Brent. We are asking for as many views as possible. These changes impact everyone on the waiting list.

"We do have ambitious plans to build more homes in Brent, but these changes work with the limited supply of homes that we have available to us right now."

Brent last reviewed how it allocated social housing in November 2014 and made changes to its scheme in January 2015.

Detailed proposals are not available until you actually start the process of filling in the on-line consultation AVAILABLE HERE  so I have reproduced them below:

To see all the options click on 'read more' below.

Ark plan new primary school in Wembley but is it needed?

Ark appears to be about to expand its schools empire in Brent adding a new primary free school at Wembley Ark, Ark Elvin and Ark Franklin Primary.

The new school would be on a site at the corner of Empire Way/Wembley Hill Road and the Royal Route with a form entry of 90 (3 classes in each year group) making a total when it is full of 630 pupils with perhaps a 60 place nursery.

The Ark Somerville Primary School would be on a busy main road which is of concern given the impact of air pollution on children and it will be important to see how much open play space will be available to the pupils.

The most important concern though is whether a new school, and such a large one, is actually required. In the immediate vicinity of the proposed school are Elsley Primary which is currently doubling in size to four forms of entry, Park Lane Primary, Oakington Manor Primary and Wembley Primary.

An important factor is the impact of Brexit and the declining value of the pound in the number of European citizens working in Brent.  There is anecdotal evidence of a reduction in numbers which affects the number of  EU pupils in local schools. Alongside this is the continuing issue of families affected by the benefit cap being forced to move out of London.

Quintain is of course building new housing in the area but this is generally not affordable to local people and unlikely to accommodate families. Brent Council will need to provide robust projections of future demand to justify a new school.

I understand that several of the primary schools that have been expanded recently are not attracting sufficient pupils to fill the new places and that some may apply to reduce their form of entry.  I am awaiting the outcome of an FoI request to see the evidence on unfilled vacancies and waiting lists.

If there is not an overall increase in demand a new school would create a 'churn' of pupil movement as parents move their children between schools. Brent Council is committed to supporting 'parent choice' by running schools with some spare capacity but the downside of this is that pupil mobility can be disruptive to the continuity of learning and undermine pupil progress. Schools with high mobility may find it very hard to meet the target thresholds set by the government for Year 6 children when perhaps only 20% of them attended the schoool in Year 2.

Local public transport is already under strain with pupils from Ark Elvin, Wembley Ark, Michaela, Preston Manor and the Lycee converging at home time and the proposed new primary would be on the same routes although one would hope that they lived within walking distance of the school.

Ark's announcement is below.

In September 2014 Ark submitted a free school application to the Department for Education to open a new primary academy in Wembley to help meet the growing demand for school places.

Following the approval of the application, Ark is now consulting on the proposal to open Ark Somerville Primary Academy, serving 2-11 year olds in Brent. It is proposed that Ark Somerville would open in September 2019 and admit 90 Reception age children each year until it reached its full capacity of 630 in September 2025; there is the potential that the school’s 60 FTE nursery might also open at the same time.

Ark Somerville will be located on the corner of Royal Route and Empire Way, next to the London Designer Outlet and will be a newly constructed building completed ready for September 2019 opening. The building is being designed and built by Bowmer and Kirkland, who will lead on a planning consultation later in the summer.

Ark Somerville Primary will be non-denominational, non-selective and mixed, serving local children. The admissions criteria will prioritise those living closest to the school. The school will have particularly strong links with Ark Academy (an all-through school), Ark Elvin Academy (a secondary school) and Ark Franklin Primary, all located in Brent. Ark Somerville will also become part of the wider Brent family of schools.

Please let us know what you think

If you would like to hear more about the schools, please join us at one of our drop-in events which will be held at Ark Academy, Bridge Rd, Wembley, HA9 9JP

There will be two events held on 13th July at:

•  9:30 - 11:00
•  17:30 - 19:00

The consultation period will run from 29 June to 15 September 2017.
If you have any questions or comments, please do get in touch through our feedback form on Somerville S10 Consultation Feedback Form

Residents' views on Wembley Stadium events & capacity increase now on record

Wembley Matters drew attention recently to the fact that the Minutes for the March 23rd Planning Committee failed to record the content of residents' representations against Wembley Stadium's application to increase the number of full capacity events at the stadium. See Residents' views absent from offical record of Wembley Stadium Planning Committee meeting

This omission has now been rectified. This is an extract from the re-written minutes:

Dr Ruth Kosmin spoke on behalf of Barnhill Residents’ Association (BHRA) objecting to the proposal, including on the grounds that the cost benefit analysis submitted was inadequate and should not be taken into account. 

Dr Michael Calderbank objected to the proposal on behalf of Wembley Park Residents’ Association, including on the grounds that it is unnecessary and inappropriate to amend the current cap, impact on amenity of residents because of anti-social behaviour, and insufficient mitigation measures. 

Denise Cheong representing Wembley Champions spoke in objection to the proposal, including on the grounds of failure to meet obligations under the current condition in terms of infrastructure provision, impact of full event days on existing road and public transport network, strain on local businesses and residents, all leading to detrimental impact on quality of life.

D Bablas on behalf of Wembley High Road Businesses Association spoke in objection to the proposal, including on the grounds of impact on some of the businesses as leisure time shoppers are deterred from coming to the High Rd; parking problems exacerbated on event days; impact of additional people on quality of High Street environment. 

Fatema-Karim Khaku representing BHRA also spoke in objection to the proposal, including on these grounds: submitted transport study was inadequate; there was a lack of empirical evidence and robust analysis; failure to properly consider impact on the tube network; overall, unacceptable impact on the transport infrastructure. 

In accordance with the provisions of the Planning Code of Practice, Councillor Choudhary, ward member, stated that he had been approached by members of BHRA. Councillor Choudhary objected to the proposal on the grounds that it did not contain adequate information to assess the environmental, transport and business impacts. He added that in addition to increased anti-social behaviour, the proposal would put a strain on the road network in the area. 

In accordance with the provisions of the Planning Code of Practice, Councillor Stopp stated that he had been approached by local residents. Councillor Stopp stated that the potential benefits of the proposal would be outweighed by the costs to the area including fear of anti-social behaviour and increased litter (evidenced by the increase in the caseload from his constituents) and undesirable precedent.

Interestingly the written statements of Cllr Butt and Sheth, read out to the Committee by the head of planning, are still not included.