The East Riding of Yorkshire Council recognises the importance of having adequate housing provision to suit the varied needs of residents and the positive impact this can have on people’s quality of life.
This crucial factor is to be considered as part of a new housing strategy for the East Riding which will be discussed by the region’s Health and Wellbeing Board when they meet at Brough Business Centre on Thursday, 15 December.
The board, which is made up of health and social care professionals and councillors, are due to receive an update on the progress that has been made with the new housing strategy which sets out a long term vision for housing in the region.
This vision is “to enable more new homes and for all housing to be of a quality, type and size which meets the needs of our urban, rural and coastal communities and support economic growth. This will help to support a high quality and balanced residential offer across all the local housing market areas.”
Entitled ‘Housing Wellbeing’, sets out four key objectives for the new strategy which are to increase housing supply, help people find and keep homes they can afford, provide safe good quality homes and to provide housing which is appropriate for people’s needs.
The report outlines the achievements made since the previous strategy was set out in 2011, including the completion of 255 new affordable homes by the council through the Affordable Homes Programme, including 40 units of extra care housing in Beverley; helping over 80 households per annum to move to more suitable accommodation through the Removal Assistance scheme; and helping to reduce fuel poverty by installing over 3,000 low cost insulation measures to households in need of energy efficiency improvements.
It also refers to the Homes for Life standards, introduced by central government last March, and the Healthy New Towns Programme which was launched nationally in 2015.
The need to engage with people living in Houses in Multiple Occupation, the challenges this can bring, and how closer ties with public health partners would enable officers to better understand the health outcomes of these tenants.
The Board will also receive the ‘Future in Mind East Riding of Yorkshire Local Transformation Plan for the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People’.
This sets out the progress made to date against the 11 priorities set out in the original plan, published last December, as well as agreed plans and ambitions for the next four years.
Other items on the agenda for this week’s meeting, to be held at Brough Business Centre, include Health and Wellbeing in Business; the Carer Workforce; and Emotional and Mental Wellbeing.
Councillor Jonathan Owen, chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “We have an incredibly busy agenda to discuss at our next meeting which once again takes place at an alternative venue in the East Riding.
“This will be the last time the Board will meet at a venue away from County Hall, as part of this latest series of meetings, and a good opportunity for the public to find out more about the health and wellbeing issues likely to affect them and their local community.
“We have had a successful ‘tour’ of the East Riding, taking key discussions into the hearts of the communities likely to be most affected by the decisions and recommendations being made, which is such an important part of the process.”
The Health and Wellbeing Board will meet at Brough Business Centre, Skillings Lane, Brough, HU15 1EN at 2pm on Thursday 15 December.
A full agenda is available to view online at http://www2.eastriding.gov.uk/council/committees/health-and-wellbeing-board/#agenda-and-minutes
