The Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee of Islington Council met on Tuesday 23 June 2026 to discuss rough sleeping, the implementation of recommendations from a homelessness review, housing performance, and the council's draft work programme. Key decisions included noting updates on rough sleeping figures, receiving an update on the progress of homelessness review recommendations, and reviewing quarterly housing performance data.

Rough Sleeping in Islington

Ian Swift, Director of Housing Operations, presented an update on rough sleeping in Islington. He reported that the number of individuals sleeping rough had decreased from 20 to 13 since the last count. However, he noted a concerning increase in the number of females sleeping rough, with 20 identified in the last three months compared to 20 over the previous 12 months. Islington has met the government's target of reducing long-term rough sleepers by 50%, with the number falling from 14 to three. The council also boasts one of the highest homelessness prevention rates in London, having prevented over 900 households from becoming homeless last year.

Mr Swift also highlighted the ongoing challenges, including the delay in the completion of the St John's Mansions scheme, which will provide 19 flats with 24-hour support. The scheme, originally due for completion in June, is now expected to be finished in October. The council is also implementing 21 drop-in sessions across various community settings, including faith-based organisations, community groups, and GP surgeries, to improve access to services and build trust with residents who may have historic distrust of council services. An independent review of these drop-in services is underway.

Councillor Jackson Caines, Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, welcomed the committee and emphasised his commitment to transparency and a critical friend approach to scrutiny. He acknowledged the significant challenges faced but stressed the need for ambition and a willingness to do things differently.

Update on Recommendations of Homelessness Review 2025/26

Councillor Hannah McHugh, Chair of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee, introduced the update on the recommendations from the 2025/26 homelessness review. She reiterated the review's central conclusion that homelessness is a system-made crisis rather than an individual failing, and that systems can prevent it. The committee's recommendations, which have been accepted, focus on a shift towards early, shared, and person-centred prevention.

Councillor McHugh highlighted areas where Islington is already performing well, including its prevention record, low use of temporary accommodation, strong local partnerships, Housing First provision, and the Rough Sleeping Outreach team. However, she acknowledged that more needs to be done, particularly in light of the national housing emergency, characterised by a lack of social housing, unaffordable private rents, and inadequate Local Housing Allowance rates. The committee's focus for this update was on the implementation of these recommendations, including timelines, accountability, and impact measurement.

Councillor Jason Jackson, Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, praised the review as impressive work and stated his commitment to working with officers on the implementation of the recommendations. He acknowledged that some recommendations are beyond Islington's direct control and will require lobbying central government.

Ian Swift, Director of Housing Operations, also commended the committee's work, noting the powerful input from residents and the success of the national homelessness conference. He stressed the need for an action plan with clear accountability, timeframes, and outputs.

Quarterly Review of Housing Performance Q4 (2025/26)

Ian Swift presented the quarterly review of housing performance for Q4 2025/26. He highlighted that while overall performance showed strong progress in areas such as building safety, repairs, and resident satisfaction, there were areas requiring improvement. The proportion of homes not meeting the Decent Homes Standard had increased to 9%, primarily due to improved data collection and newly identified issues with communal heating systems. Complaints volumes remained high, and pressures across homelessness and rough sleeping were increasing.

Mr Swift detailed the increase in non-decent homes, attributing it to a lack of historical investment in stock condition surveys. He explained that a significant portion of the increase was due to communal heating systems lacking property-level controls, and a further portion due to Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) category 1 hazards such as damp and mould. Plans are in place to address these issues through investment programmes.

Repairs performance showed improvement, with 84% of non-emergency repairs completed within the target timescale, aligning with the London median. Emergency repairs were performing above the London median at 95%. Building safety checks, including gas, fire, asbestos, water, and lift safety, were all performing strongly, with compliance at or near 100%.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) reporting had improved in accuracy and visibility, with projections for ASB hate crime incidents falling within the lower middle quartile for London. However, complaints volumes, particularly Stage 1, remained higher than the London median, although response times for Stage 1 complaints were in the upper London quartile. Stage 2 complaints also saw an increase, with 83% responded to within the required timescale at the time of reporting.

Resident satisfaction, as measured by the Tenancy Satisfaction Measures (TSM), showed positive trends, with overall satisfaction at 68% and improvements in satisfaction with repairs, home maintenance, safety, and complaint handling. However, satisfaction with the landlord's approach to handling complaints, while improving, remained in the upper quartile.

Regarding homelessness, the number of households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 population had increased to 20, which was below the London average but an increase from the previous year. The number of people sleeping rough was recorded at 16 in April 2026, an increase from the previous month and the previous year. Rent arrears as a proportion of the rent roll stood at 4.5%, with a significant challenge anticipated due to the rising cost of living.

Homelessness Performance Data

Ian Swift presented the homelessness performance data for Q4 2025/26. He noted that Islington has the third highest number of homelessness presentations in London, driven by factors including domestic abuse, poverty, and parental evictions. Despite this, the council has one of the highest homelessness prevention rates in London, with over 900 households prevented from becoming homeless last year.

Islington continues to have no homeless households living in bed and breakfast accommodation, a target achieved for the past three years. The average stay in temporary accommodation is also relatively short, although Mr Swift acknowledged that the figure of 2,091 homeless households in temporary accommodation represents a failure. He highlighted that the council has purchased 817 properties for temporary accommodation, all located within Islington, ensuring residents do not have to move out of the borough.

The data shows a significant increase in households in temporary accommodation, from 1,908 in December to 3,091 in June, a rise of over 1,000 in six months. This puts pressure on rehousing efforts. Mr Swift also noted that one in every 23 children in London lives in temporary accommodation, though this is not the case in Islington. He stressed that while Islington's rate of temporary accommodation is below the London average, the overall situation is a failure of society and institutional failings.

Councillor Claire Zammit raised concerns about parental evictions and the potential impact of the Next Generation scheme. Mr Swift confirmed that a deep dive into parental evictions and the housing allocation scheme is underway, with a report to be presented to the committee. He acknowledged the squeezed middle of residents who may not qualify for housing register priority but face difficulties.

Councillor Joe Peck inquired about the data on temporary accommodation, specifically whether it included former Islington residents now living elsewhere. Mr Swift confirmed that the council has a duty to rehouse accepted homeless cases, regardless of their current location, and that these individuals retain their right to join Islington's housing register.

Draft Work Programme and Scrutiny Topic 2026/2027

Councillor Hannah McHugh presented the draft work programme for 2026/27 and opened a discussion on the committee's main scrutiny review topic for the year. She proposed focusing on the overall housing funding circumstances of the local authority, exploring what is within the council's gift, what is a national concern, and what stems from market pressures, with a view to identifying areas for preventative spending. Potential areas for review included homelessness prevention, temporary accommodation, voids, empty homes, repairs, damp and mould, adaptations, and downsizing.

Councillor Hayden Banks suggested scrutinising issues related to lifts and the urgent need to retrofit council housing stock for decarbonisation and heatwave resilience. Ian Swift advised that a specific report on lift replacements and maintenance could be provided separately, allowing the main review to focus on broader themes.

Councillor Claire Zammit suggested examining how teams and processes work, including the potential use of AI and innovation in areas like downsizing. Emmanuel Beck, a resident observer, raised concerns about safeguarding, anti-social behaviour, and the vulnerability of ageing and disabled residents, suggesting the potential for CCTV on estates. Councillor Troy Gallagher noted that the Audit Committee would be conducting deep dives into the procurement of repair services and lifts, suggesting collaboration to avoid duplication. Councillor Banks also suggested considering the performance of housing associations as a potential area for review.

The committee agreed to consider these suggestions as they scope the main scrutiny review for the year.

The meeting concluded with the committee noting the draft work programme and potential scrutiny topics for the upcoming municipal year.