The Communities and Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to consider a range of updates and reports concerning community safety, housing, and the council's budget. Key discussions were scheduled to include priorities for Communities and Community Safety, an update on Operation Topaz, and the work of the Neighbourhood Nuisance Team. The commission was also scheduled to review the national plan to end homelessness and rough sleeping, and examine the Housing and Communities Directorate's budget for 2026/27.

Portfolio Holder Priorities – Communities and Community Safety

Councillor Dolman, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Community Safety, was scheduled to present their priorities for 2026/2027. The report pack indicated a broad scope of work within this portfolio, including customer services, community safety initiatives, public protection efforts, and neighbourhood development. Specific data points highlighted included the number of customers supported by customer services, anti-social behaviour (ASB) service calls and sanctions, seizures of illegal tobacco and vapes, and the number of ward forums and funded projects within neighbourhoods. The priorities for neighbourhoods were focused on developing community asset transfers, ensuring work aligned with area plans, and reviewing stakeholder engagement. For community safety, priorities were set to assess and improve ASB reporting accessibility, produce an annual communications plan, and implement monthly multi-agency teams to address issues in areas requiring additional support. Customer services aimed to improve resident interactions across digital, phone, and in-person channels, promote Hull as a wedding venue, and develop a prevention strategy for crisis and resilience support. Public protection priorities included increasing the use of closure orders for illicit tobacco and vapes, developing a system for accrediting high street shops for product safety, and maintaining engagement with taxi drivers.

National Plan to End Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Programme

The commission was scheduled to receive an update on the national plan to end homelessness and rough sleeping. This plan, published in December 2025, sets a long-term vision to end homelessness and rough sleeping, ensuring safe and secure housing for all. The strategy aims for homelessness experiences to be rare, brief, and non-recurring. A subsequent announcement in August 2026 introduced the Rough Sleeping Programme, designed to help individuals move off the streets by Christmas and establish sustainable routes to settled homes and ongoing support. The programme combines immediate provision with longer-term accommodation and intensive support for those who have experienced long-term rough sleeping. The update was also scheduled to cover new statutory duties, including a duty to collaborate among public services to shift from crisis response to prevention, and a duty to notify relevant bodies when a child is placed in temporary accommodation to improve health outcomes. The plan's pillars include universal prevention through a 10-year affordable homes programme and the Renters Rights Act, targeted prevention with a duty to collaborate, preventing crisis through immediate intervention and early detection, improving emergency responses with better temporary accommodation, and recovery and preventing repeat homelessness.

Housing and Communities (H&C) and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – 2026/27 Period 5

A briefing paper was scheduled to provide an overview and key point summary of the general fund revenue budget for the Housing and Communities Directorate and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2026/27. The budget is influenced by customer demand and performance measures used to manage challenges. The paper was expected to outline how the 2026/27 budget, set in February 2026, is based on staffing requirements, contractual and statutory commitments, and internal and external demands on the HRA. The HRA budget is directly impacted by capital programme spending, interest rates, and housing stock valuations. The report was to highlight the Directorate's forecast outturn position, noting a projected overspend of £0.311m at Period 5 for the General Fund. The Housing service was forecasting a balanced position for Period 5, with temporary accommodation budget pressures having stabilised. The report was to detail the reduction in spend associated with temporary accommodation due to operational interventions and the conversion of ex-HRA sheltered housing schemes. Customer Services was forecasting a pressure of £0.311m, primarily due to income generation challenges in bereavement services. The Housing Revenue Account was forecasting a pressure of £1.363m, largely attributed to rent income shortfalls due to an increased number of void properties requiring repair and structural surveys on high-rise properties.

Neighbourhood Nuisance Team (NNT) Update

An update from the Neighbourhood Nuisance Team (NNT) was scheduled to be presented. The report pack indicated that the NNT undertakes the landlord function for Hull City Council regarding Anti-social Behaviour (ASB). This includes managing ASB complaints on behalf of the landlord, early intervention and risk assessment, victim support and safeguarding, and focusing on sustainable tenancy outcomes. The NNT's core service involves tackling nuisance ASB affecting residents, communities, and businesses regardless of tenure, and fulfilling Hull City Council's statutory landlord function. The update was expected to cover the NNT's overview and data, the ASB Help Pledge, a ward tasking problem-solving approach, a tiered approach for adults and children, Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), the Young Futures Prevention Panel, and the NNT's communication plan and campaigns. Data from April 2025 to September 2026 showed the NNT received 4782 calls for service related to ASB, dealt with 950 perpetrators, and used 5409 informal and formal sanctions. Victim satisfaction surveys indicated high levels of willingness to use the service again and satisfaction with support and outcomes.

Portfolio Holder Priorities – Communities and Community Safety

Councillor Dolman, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Community Safety, was scheduled to present their priorities for 2026/2027. The report pack indicated a broad scope of work within this portfolio, including customer services, community safety initiatives, public protection efforts, and neighbourhood development. Specific data points highlighted included the number of customers supported by customer services, anti-social behaviour (ASB) service calls and sanctions, seizures of illegal tobacco and vapes, and the number of ward forums and funded projects within neighbourhoods. The priorities for neighbourhoods were focused on developing community asset transfers, ensuring work aligned with area plans, and reviewing stakeholder engagement. For community safety, priorities were set to assess and improve ASB reporting accessibility, produce an annual communications plan, and implement monthly multi-agency teams to address issues in areas requiring additional support. Customer services aimed to improve resident interactions across digital, phone, and in-person channels, promote Hull as a wedding venue, and develop a prevention strategy for crisis and resilience support. Public protection priorities included increasing the use of closure orders for illicit tobacco and vapes, developing a system for accrediting high street shops for product safety, and maintaining engagement with taxi drivers.

Operation Topaz Update

An update on Operation Topaz was scheduled to be received by the commission.

Executive Director for Housing and Communities Update

Mark Nearney, Executive Director for Housing and Communities, was scheduled to provide a verbal update on any service, policy, or strategy developments within the commission's remit. The aim was for the commission to consider including these developments in its future work programme.

Communities and Neighbourhoods Work Programme

The commission was scheduled to consider and agree the latest version of its work programme.

Outstanding Actions

The commission was scheduled to review outstanding actions to ensure they were being addressed in a timely manner.