The Housing and Communities Select Committee met on Wednesday, 2 April 2025, to discuss the outcomes of the Grenfell Projects Fund, review the Council's draft Housing Strategy, and examine consultation and participation processes. Key decisions included the recommendation of projects to receive funding from the Grenfell Projects Fund and a discussion on the proposed draft Housing Strategy for 2025-2030.

Outcome of Grenfell Projects Fund 2024/25

The committee reviewed the recommendations for projects to be awarded funding from the Grenfell Projects Fund 2024/25. This fund is part of the Council's £50m Grenfell Recovery Strategy. The selection process involved eligibility checks, compliance reviews, panel assessments, and a public vote where 1,079 residents of North Kensington participated. The committee was asked to scrutinise the process and the recommendations for fifteen organisations selected to receive funding across three tiers: up to £5,000 for unconstituted groups, up to £25,000 for one-year projects, and up to £60,000 for two-year projects. The report highlighted that full funding was recommended for project viability, aligning with the fund's themes of community cohesion, cultural enrichment, and vulnerability support. The committee was invited to make comments or recommendations to the Leadership Team regarding the attached report and the process followed before any further funding rounds.

Draft Housing Strategy 2025 - 2030

The committee considered and scrutinised the Council's draft Housing Strategy for 2025-2030. This strategy outlines the Council's long-term vision for housing in the borough, supporting commitments within the Council Plan, the response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, and the ambitions of the London Plan 2021 and the Council's Local Plan 2024. An eight-week public consultation on the draft strategy was open from 19 March 2025 to 13 May 2025. The strategy is framed around three key priorities: providing a diverse supply of housing, ensuring homes are safe and meet the Decent Homes Standard, and delivering exemplary housing and landlord services. The committee was recommended to consider the draft strategy and make any comments or recommendations to the Lead Member for Housing Management, Housing Safety, and Building New Homes, and the Executive Director for Housing and Social Investment. They were also asked to consider how they might provide further comments after the public consultation.

Consultation and Participation

The committee received a report detailing the Council's consultation processes and the support available to services. This included information on the role of the Consultation and Participation Team, the 'Celebrating Co-production Programme', and an update on the review of the Charter for Public Participation. The report explained the Council's four-stage consultation process: planning, quality assurance, conducting the consultation, and analysis, feedback, and action. It highlighted the support available to Council officers, including the Consultation Support Gateway, the Consultation and Engagement Toolkit, and the Citizens' Panel, which comprises 2,000 representative residents. The 'Celebrating Co-production Programme' aims to involve local people in shaping local services, with 16 Council services participating in projects over 2023-2024. The report also provided an overview of consultation activities undertaken in 2024/25, detailing what was asked, the feedback received, and the actions taken as a result.

Report on Responses to the Recommendations Made by the Hostels Working Group

The committee reviewed the responses to the recommendations made by the Hostels Working Group, which investigated the management of hostels and the Council's influence over supported accommodation. The Working Group focused on provision for single adults with vulnerabilities, including those who were rough sleeping, ex-offenders, or had mental health issues or substance abuse problems. The report outlined the Council's comments and acceptance of most recommendations, including formalising assessment processes, reviewing KPIs for service providers, and incorporating communal rooms into new hostel designs. Some recommendations were partially accepted, such as the need for more visual formats in hostel information and the challenge of directly monitoring all anti-social behaviour by residents in the wider community. The Council committed to continuous improvement, including exploring enhanced partnerships for tenancy sustainment and developing a pathway to link housing and employment support more closely.

Work Programme Report

The committee confirmed an additional meeting on the Lancaster West Estate refurbishments to be held on Monday, 12 May 2025. The report provided an update on the work programme and scrutiny activities, outlining reports for upcoming meetings. The committee agreed to discuss and agree the detailed work plan for 2024/25.