Delegates signed up for one of two discussion workshops.

Workshop 1: Next Steps for Housing Needs based on the Resident and Housing Stock Conditions Surveys: making use of the data and what next for the LSP? Priority setting for 2018-19

Workshop 2: Rother Safe and Well Practitioner Scheme: an example of partnership working and information sharing, and what next for the LSP? Priority setting for 2018-19

** The following notes were posted on this page live as the workshops were taking place **

Workshop 1:

• Failure of Private Rental Sector to deliver decent homes
  • consider extending ‘geography’ for proactive and joined up approaches to dealing with issues
  • RDC: investigating new procedures for tackling issues
  • CCG: putting resources into healthy housing as it is known that substandard homes has an impact on health
• What’s the role of the Local Authority alongside private landlords?
  • Education of front line staff visiting properties
• Is there a difference between long term lets and short term holiday lets in impacting availability?
• Category 1 hazards – excessive cold and slips, trips and falls in properties pre-dating 1919
  • Lack of loft insulation – it’s very cheap to install and will help solve many problems
  • Leaflet distribution to community groups
  • Sustaining the knowledge shared at training sessions
  • Tracking outcomes
  • Sharing intelligence between agencies
• Ticehurst – surprising data for properties with Category 1 hazard in comparison with wider area results. Likely to be excess cold due to age of properties
• Weighting process of data analysis ensures results are comparative
• Housing Needs:
  • Political issue
  • Massive investment needed
  • Working closely with private developers
  • Stalled sites is an issue – several don’t come to fruition – consider incentives to encourage them to bring things forward?
• Homelessness:
  • Increasing issue in Rother due to lack of available and suitable properties
  • Wider issues not recognised by central government – not just about lack of a home – extended problems involving working with colleagues in health, police, social care
• Shared ownership schemes:
  • Perceived issues – what are they?
• Delegates asked to consider main issues and priorities for actions for the LSP over the next year
  • Lack of supply of social/affordable housing is an issue
  • Loss of Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) builders taking forward smaller sites
  • Optivo: “Should housing remain the focus?”
  • RDC: looking at the bigger picture and forging forward to work together considering the wider implications of housing needs
  • CCG: good to have a subject to focus on where clear actions can be set – continue to prioritise housing
  • RDC: look at self-help and all factors, including environmental, affordability etc.

Workshop 2:

• Discussing early referral systems – prioritising needs and focussing on the main issues requiring attention at that time
• Agreeing training events for frontline staff
  • Recognising hazards in the home
  • Referral for fire checks
• Recognising the signs of fuel poverty for referral to ‘Keep Warm and Well’ scheme
• Two tier inclusion for professionals suggested – understanding fuel poverty issues and hazards in the home, as well as who to refer to for help
• Agreement that there needs to be a ‘shared culture’ across workforces
• Winter checks are available across East Sussex – front line workers need to be aware
• Suggestion: proactive work to prevent fuel poverty and hazards in the home – making information available
• “Cuts provide challenges, but encourages agencies to work together”
• Police encouraging ‘professional curiosity’ in visiting officers and offer training, e.g. to recognise scams, and how to refer
• Police: “It’s key for agencies to work together”
• Discussion about dealing with rogue traders
• CAB: “understanding who to refer to would be ‘invaluable’ for its volunteers
• Discussing priorities for the LSP for the next 12 months:
  • Develop a training programme for volunteers, staff and community groups
• Discussion how residents access information – access to and how to use internet technology is an issue for many

Next steps for setting LSP priority actions for 2018-19 will be posted on the next update.