Decision - Housing Needs Assessment

Housing Needs Assessment

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved (subject to call-in)

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decision:

1. that the Housing Needs Assessment set out at Appendix 1 to the submitted report be approved;

2. that the Director of Adults and Community Services and Director of Regeneration be requested to ensure that the Housing Needs Assessment is:

· used to inform to the Housing Delivery Plan, to ensure effective delivery against need and plans for developing provision are joined up;

· shared with prospective partners;

· used as the basis for future business cases for different types of accommodation; and

· used as the underpinning needs assessment for future business cases related to the commissioning or procurement of services related to Temporary Accommodation, Move on Accommodation, Complex Needs and Substance Misuse, Domestic Abuse, Children and Young People and Adult Social Care, as relevant; and

3. that delegated authority be provided to the Director of Adults and Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance, to make changes to the Housing Needs Assessment to ensure it is kept up to date and reflects current needs.

Reasons for the decision:

The needs assessment provides a robust evidence base to inform commissioning, policy development and partnership working. It identifies current and future housing and support needs across key client groups in Torbay and supports targeted engagement with partners, including Registered Providers, over the next five years.

Alternative options considered:

Option 1 was discounted because taking no action would leave housing needs for vulnerable groups in Torbay insufficiently defined and evidenced, limiting the Council’s ability to plan effectively, attract investment, or work with partners to develop sustainable long?term solutions.

Option 2 was also discounted as, while relevant needs were referenced within existing strategies and plans, these documents were broader in scope and do not provide the level of Torbay specific detail required to clearly articulate specialist housing and support needs or to underpin targeted commissioning and partnership activity.

Implementation:

The decision will come into force and may be implemented on 27 April 2026 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

Information:

The Housing Needs Assessment brings together evidence of accommodation needs in Torbay for people with increased vulnerability and complex needs. It sets out the scale and nature of current and future housing requirements and provides an evidence base to support future business cases and partnership discussions. The Housing Needs Assessment supports Torbay Council’s commitment to clearly articulate local need and work with partners to develop sustainable solutions over the medium to longer term.

Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:

None.

Publication date: 17/04/2026

Date of decision: 14/04/2026

Date comes into force if not called in: 25/04/2026

Call-in deadline date: 24/04/2026

Current call-in Count: 0