The council wants input into its new housing strategy from residents, many of whom have failed to find a decent and secure home in the private rented sector which dominates in Hastings.

HBC seeks residents’ views on its housing strategy

Hastings Borough Council is seeking feedback from residents and other stakeholders to help inform the development of its new housing strategy. A steering group has already been established and a survey has just been published on the council website to tap people’s views and experiences. Public meetings are also planned to encourage the public to get involved. Nick Terdre reports.

What is the best way to tackle Hastings’ housing (and homelessness) crisis? Hastings has been without a housing strategy for several years, so now the council is moving to make good that lack. A dedicated page has been set up on its website.

Councillors and officers are keen that the policies eventually adopted should be well informed by those at the sharp end, residents who find themselves unable to secure satisfactory housing conditions, and other stakeholders, such as landlords, developers, renters’ groups and housing associations.

“The vision for the strategy is that we want Hastings to be a place where everyone has a decent home to live in,” Chris Hancock, the head of housing, told HOT.  ”And so the question is, what has been the difficulty for you in getting a decent home, what have been the barriers?”

A short online survey can be accessed on the HBC website, which asks both about whether respondents’ have been able to secure decent housing and seeks their views on why people are unable to secure decent housing and how this could be achieved for all.

The deadline for responding is 30 May. Once the strategy has been formulated, taking residents’ feedback into account, it will go to the Cabinet and finally to Full Council for approval. The aim is to have the strategy, which is intended to guide policy-making for the next four years. adopted by autumn.

Steering group

The work of drawing up the strategy is in the hands of a steering group which was formed in the latter months of last year with a wide range of participants. “We have about 20 people representing a real cross-section of perspectives and experience – social housing tenants, private rented tenants, landlords, developers, Southern Housing, the NHS Integrated Care Board,” Chris Hancock, the head of housing, told HOT.

The council’s housing strategy page also has a link to a presentation with information on relevant matters such as the numbers housed in temporary accommodation, the prospective supply of affordable housing in comng years and rough sleeper initiatives. It also lists a number of aims for the strategy which have already been formulated:

• Reduce the cost and use of private temporary accommodation
• Improve standards in the private and social rented sector
• Deliver the acquisitions programme – and set out what is next.
• Build some council homes
• Determine future of Hastings Housing Company
• Recommission the Rough Sleeper Initiative
• Establish an empty homes service
• Secure support and capacity internally
• Secure support from partners

The aim is to make the process of engagement open to all. “Once we start meeting, we’ll put the steering group minutes online. We want to be as transparent about the process as possible,” Hancock said. Interested groups and organisations can apply to be kept informed of consultation events via an email address on HBC’s housing strategy page.

He is also keen to get out and hear directly from residents, particularly those who are not getting a good deal from their current arrangements. “It’s really important to me that we have good conversations with those who are most impacted by the housing crisis.”

Not everyone will want to come to meetings at the council offices in Muriel Matters House, so Cllr Glenn Haffenden, the housing lead, asks for suggestions to be made for alternative meeting places.

While pleased to hear the range of different views among the participants, Hancock acknowledges that it is unlikely there will be a total consensus on the final strategy: “When we get to the final strategy, I don’t think everybody will agree with everything in it, but what I would hope is that everyone will feel they were listened to and that  they had an opportunity to contribute and discuss their ideas.”

And please feel free to post your thoughts on the strategy on this article – Haffenden and Hancock say they will take any comments  on board.

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