Agenda item

Councillor Lisa Homan, Cabinet Member for Housing, explained that when she had taken over as cabinet member, older persons housing had not been one of the areas she thought needed significant improvements. It had become clear to her that the council needed to do more to make sure that its older residents were given the accommodation and support they needed. The new strategy was intended to ensure that better collaborative work was done by the council’s housing and adult social care departments to support older people. Councillor Homan explained that she and Councillor Vivienne Lukey, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, wanted residents views on the strategy which would shape it before the strategy was agreed.

Nilavra Mukerji explained that the Older Person’s Housing Strategy stemmed from the Housing Strategy which had committed the council to look further at options for older people. The demographic of the borough made it vital that the council improve its housing options for older people as there would be a 20% increase in the number of borough residents aged between 65-85 years. He felt that the best outcome for residents was to be able to live in their own home as it was better for them and cheaper for the council. The borough faced significant challenges in delivering what residents wanted owing to the age and type of existing specialised housing stock and land values in the borough. The housing department’s aim was that by 2018 the council would be able to offer residents advice on a range of housing options and then provide them with appropriate accommodation. He also wanted to continue to build good relationships with colleagues in adult social care to provide more integrated support services.

Pauline Hutchinson asked where residents could currently go to seek advice about the choices available for housing for their old age. Nilavra Mukerji said that the Housing Options team, based at 145 King Street could  provide advice to anyone, whilst those living in social housing could also speak to their housing officers. Ms Hutchinson also said that it was important that when re-housing older residents the council helped to maintain their relationships with former friends and neighbours. She raised a particular case which Nilavra Mukerji agreed to discuss with her outside of the meeting.

Anthony Wood noted the low number of unpaid carers in the borough and said that any information on why there were fewer than in other areas would be useful to solving the issue. Mr Wood said that much of the strategy was very good and was well researched but asked for more information about the idea of ‘tenure swapping. Councillor Homan explained that the idea of tenure swapping was to rent an under occupied property from a resident which the council could then use as accommodation for others in need, whilst providing the owner with a more suitable property to live in, either through a specialist provider of retirement homes or through the council’s own stock. The ownership of the properties would not be affected. Mr Wood said that he was concerned that the local plan did not include a target for the number of specialist housing units to be built. Councillor Connell, Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, explained that the London Plan set a target of 60 such homes per year, whilst the local plan had been written to prevent the loss of the borough’s existing specialist stock. Mr Wood also said that he felt the council ought to raise council taxes by 2% to fund better social care. Councillor Lukey explained that the council had decided not to pass on government cuts in this area to residents as tax rises; instead the council was making savings in other areas to make sure that social care was well funded.

John Flynn suggested that the council speak to private providers of sheltered and extra care housing to see if they could be tempted to develop additional capacity in the borough. Councillor Homan noted that the performance of some companies had not been particularly high, but agreed that it was an idea which was worth further investigation.

Gwen Cook explained that services to help residents keep active were very important. She felt that the Agewell fitness classes were very useful in doing this, and she hoped that they could be extended. She also thought that the Health Trainers Scheme for adults up to the age of 74 could be useful in keeping residents able to live in their own homes.

Councillor Connell asked how the older person’s housing strategy linked with the council’s approach to improving the private rented sector. Councillor Homan said that many older people living in the private rented sector benefitted from more secure tenancies, and it was only usually when residents became very vulnerable that they came to the attention of the council. Rita Nath-Dongre said that Hammersmith United Charities worked closely with charities and community organisations, such as Age UK and the Irish Cultural Centre, to identify vulnerable older people living in the private sector. Nilavra Mukerji added that there was no private specialist housing provision in the borough and so there were only limited areas of overlap between the two strategies.

Councillor Lucy Ivimy arrived at this point in the meeting.

Anthony Wood explained that he had proposed that an Older People’s Commission be set up by the council to look at services more generally. He felt that this commission would be able to help suggest how the new strategy could be taken forward. Councillors Homan and Lukey said that they had welcomed Mr Wood’s suggestion and that a commission would be set up when resources to support it became available, likely during 2017.

Councillor Ivimy asked how the work of housing officers was co-ordinated with the work of staff in adult social care. Councillor Homan explained that officers worked closely together to support residents, although she recognised that there was more to do to make the service completely joined up. Nilavra Mukerji agreed, saying that staff in the two departments had learned a lot about each other’s roles and skills; officers were continuing to look at models for more joint working to give residents the best possible advice.