Councillors will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made.

Due to the submission of apologies by the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Panel agreed:

1.     To appoint councillor Coker as Chair for this particular meeting;

2.     To appoint Councillor Poyser as Vice Chair for this particular meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive reports on business which in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

The Chair welcomed Councillor P. Nicholson to the Committee, who had replaced Councillor Loveridge.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities) introduced the Building Bridges to Opportunity update report and discussed:

a)     The Cabinet decision was anticipated for March or June 2026, allowing time for a thorough process rather than a rushed approach;

b)    The framework had grown out of the Child Poverty Working Group’s work and aimed to address drivers and impacts of poverty in Plymouth;

c)     A draft framework had been developed using a whole-systems approach, engaging partners across the public sector, other organisations, and communities;

d)    The framework focused on three core aims:

                         I.         reducing the risk of falling into poverty;

                       II.         enabling people to move out of poverty;

                      III.         reducing harm for those living in poverty;

e)     Questions had arisen about why no hard target was set to end poverty in Plymouth; the reasoning was that many factors were outside local control, so the focus was on achievable local actions;

f)      The framework themes included:

                I.         Improving individual outcomes (education, skills, access to benefits and food);

              II.         Maximising community potential (neighbourhood and identity-based communities);

             III.         Optimising infrastructure and environment (green/blue spaces, transport links);

            IV.         Developing an economy that works for everyone;

             V.         Delivering services with communities to meet needs (including healthcare, banking, and postal access);

g)     Principles from engagement included trauma-informed practice, life-course approach, tackling inequalities, asset-based thinking, and upstream prevention;

h)    The framework had been mapped against the Plymouth Plan and aligned with other council strategies;

i)      Work was ongoing to identify outcome measures and metrics, using existing data sources rather than creating new ones;

j)      There was no promise of extra funding; the focus was on optimising current actions and resources;

k)     The approach linked strongly to prevention and upstream work already underway in the council.

Nick Shaw (Public Health Registrar) added:

l)      Engagement highlighted that how actions were delivered was as important as what was done;

m)   The framework would inform service delivery and policy decisions across the system;

n)    Public health would ensure principles were embedded in NHS neighbourhood planning and other strategies.

In response to questions, the Panel discussed:

o)    Concerns about access to banking and NHS services, particularly in deprived wards, and the impact of service withdrawal on communities;

p)    The role of the council in mitigating these impacts, including exploring banking hubs and using libraries as shared spaces;

q)    Transport challenges for outlying communities and the importance of integrated planning;

r)     The need for a strong evidence base to influence national policy and support MPs in lobbying government;

s)     Opportunities for Plymouth to present “oven-ready” projects for government funding;

t)     Advocacy work being undertaken by councillors and officers, including lobbying for consistent increases in Local Housing Allowance and other measures through the LGA and MPs;

u)    The importance of cross-party support and continued advocacy before and after the national budget;

v)     Discussion on abolishing the two-child benefit cap, with reference to Gordon Brown’s proposal to fund this through taxation on online gambling;

w)   Challenges in selecting useful metrics and measures,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities) introduced the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping update report and discussed:

a)     The continuing pressure of the housing crisis, particularly at the extreme end of homelessness in the city. The long-term solution was the provision of more permanent and affordable housing through building programmes;

b)    The report highlighted the significant demand on the Housing Solutions team, which managed an active caseload of over 1,000 households at any one time, working closely with partners across the city to maintain temporary accommodation provision and reduce reliance on bed and breakfast placements;

c)     Recent government funding of £868,000 had been announced, to be used over the next 12 months with a strong focus on prevention work and systemic change to reduce reliance on short-term measures;

d)    The importance of trauma-informed and individualised approaches for those experiencing homelessness, including rough sleepers and those in hostels, was stressed as part of a nuanced and complex response.

Jackie Kings (Head of Housing Solutions) added:

e)     Demand for housing continued to grow nationally and locally, requiring creative solutions with partners such as BCHA and PATH to bring additional properties into the system at lower cost to the authority;

f)      Work was ongoing with social housing providers to utilise regeneration properties and deliver interim solutions, alongside strategic planning through the Homelessness Recovery Programme which addressed prevention, recovery, and system support across all cohorts including families, young people, and those with disabilities;

g)     The programme included immediate, medium-term (6–12 months), and long-term actions, recognising that recovery from the current challenges would take at least 10 years.

Victoria Allen (Chief Executive, PATH) added:

h)    Homelessness was a national challenge, and Plymouth partners were working creatively to respond, from street homelessness through to settled housing;

i)      Integration with health services was critical, given the complexity of needs among those presenting, and partnerships with private landlords were being strengthened to improve access to the private rented sector.

In response to questions, the Panel discussed:

j)      Recognition of the efforts of officers and partners in tackling homelessness and the need for government to address barriers to housing delivery, including taxation on brownfield sites and funding for affordable housing;

k)     The importance of long-term investment in public housing and infrastructure, with suggestions for government to increase borrowing for housing and review local housing allowance rates to reflect rental values;

l)      Concerns about scapegoating planning authorities and the need for government to support councils in accelerating housing delivery;

m)   Increasing complexity among those presenting as homeless, including mental health needs and neurodivergence, and the impact of cuts to public services on access to healthcare;

n)    Support for frontline teams, including clinical supervision and integration of health and homelessness services, with new investment enabling recruitment of mental health specialists and occupational therapists;

o)    The significant pressures on staff managing high caseloads and the need for improved facilities and ongoing support;

p)    Trends in homelessness presentations, with the majority from deprived areas and private rented sector tenants affected  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Councillor John Stephens (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport) introduced the City Centre Carparking report and discussed:

a)     The briefing paper provided insights into ongoing efforts and the landscape of city centre parking as Plymouth undergoes significant growth and transformation;

b)    The essential role of car parking services in supporting the delivery of key public services;

c)     Updates on utilisation and the summary outcome of a previous demand and utilisation analysis commissioned from WSP on future growth and demand;

d)    Collaboration with Homes England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to develop a detailed master plan for the city centre, assessing the impacts of growth and new homes on the transport network and parking, and informing an integrated transport and parking strategy;

e)     Continued support for public transport viability and events across the city;

f)      Commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction through investment in electric vehicle charging facilities, including updates on EV charger installation and structural assessments of car parks to accommodate heavier electric vehicles;

g)     Customer experience improvements and accessibility initiatives, such as wider parking bays and dedicated spaces for individuals with hidden disabilities.

Andy Sharp (Interim Service Director for Street Scene and Waste) added:

a)     The recommendations sought endorsement for developing an integrated transport and parking strategy, not detailed plans;

b)    The work was linked to a significant opportunity arising from the £4.4 billion defence investment and the creation of 10,000 homes, which would reshape the city centre and waterfront;

c)     External expertise was being commissioned to develop the master plan, and consultation with elected members and the public would be a strong aspect of the process;

d)    The integrated strategy would ensure transport and parking were considered as part of wider redevelopment plans.

Mike Artherton (Parking and Marine Manager) added:

e)     Car park utilisation trends remained largely consistent with previous reports, with no significant reductions observed;

f)      Some areas were showing growth, and patterns of use reflected the established purpose and visitor types for each car park;

g)     The data included in the report was similar to last year’s findings, indicating stability in usage.

In response to questions, the Panel discussed:

h)    Whether lower demand at certain car parks was influenced by public realm improvements and perceptions of disruption due to construction works in the city centre;

i)      Concerns about conflating car parking usage with wider city centre redevelopment and master planning work, and reservations about endorsing a strategy without sufficient detail;

j)      The need for early and meaningful public consultation on master planning principles to avoid perceptions of a “done deal” and ensure genuine engagement;

k)     The scale of proposed redevelopment, including references to media images of high-rise developments, and the importance of understanding potential impacts on existing car parks and retail viability;

l)      The historical context of Plymouth’s post-war redevelopment and the need to avoid repeating mistakes by ensuring a vibrant, mixed-use city centre with residential presence;

m)   Officers reiterated that recommendations were for developing an integrated strategy, not approving detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities) introduced the Renters Rights Bill report and discussed:

a)     The Renters’ Rights Bill represented a major reform of the private rented sector, replacing the previous Renters Reform Bill with only minor wording changes;

b)    The Bill was structured in four parts, with Parts 1 and 4 expected to be implemented first within six months to two years, and Parts 2 and 3 phased in over up to ten years;

c)     Key changes included tenancy reform, abolition of Section 21 evictions, introduction of rent controls, a ban on rental bidding, protection against discriminatory practices, and new grounds for possession that were fairer for all parties;

d)    Enhanced enforcement powers for local authorities were proposed, including civil penalties of up to £7,000 for minor offences and up to £40,000 for serious or repeat non-compliance;

e)     The Bill would introduce a new private rented sector database and landlord ombudsman, extend the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to the private sector, and set clear expectations for property safety and quality;

f)      Plymouth City Council had taken a proactive approach, completing a legislative gap analysis, mapping stakeholders, reviewing policies, and establishing a Strategic Programme Lead post to coordinate delivery;

g)     The Council was participating in national and regional workshops, including co-chairing the South West Operational Delivery Forum (Operation Jigsaw), and had begun pilot testing IT systems and developing training programmes;

h)    Challenges remained, including staffing levels falling short of what would be required, uncertainty around new burdens funding, and potential IT system upgrades to meet future reporting requirements;

i)      Despite these pressures, the Council was committed to delivering a robust, fair, and effective implementation that protected tenants, supported responsible landlords, and strengthened public confidence in enforcement;

j)      Good landlords should have nothing to fear from enforcement, but criminal landlords would face tougher action under the new powers.

David Irving (Strategic Programme Lead, Housing Standards) added:

k)     The Bill was already having an impact on the market, with landlords reacting to anticipated changes despite not knowing all details;

l)      National figures indicated that approximately 19% of private rented sector landlords were selling up and leaving the market, which could affect Plymouth, although good landlords were expected to remain.

In response to questions, the Panel discussed:

m)   Support for provisions allowing tenants to request permission to keep pets, noting the positive impact on wellbeing and the importance for those who had experienced long-term homelessness, where pets were often key companions;

n)    The wider implications of pet ownership rights, which would extend beyond the private rented sector to affordable housing, affecting over half of Plymouth’s population;

o)    Timeframes for implementation, with Royal Assent potentially within two to three weeks if parliamentary sticking points were resolved, followed by a six-month window before enforcement duties commenced;

p)    The database was expected to be operational approximately two years after Royal Assent, with preparatory work already underway, including pilot registration of landlords and engagement with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

The Panel agreed to note the progress of the action log.  

The Panel agreed to request the following items be added to the work programme:

1.     Central Park Ponds Project Update;

2.     Plymouth Active Leisure (pre-decision);

3.     Public Toilet’s Strategy Review;

4.     Allotments.