Agenda item

Homelessness Update

Minutes:

A report was presented with an update on homelessness following the Panels own scrutiny review held between November 2016 and January 2017. 

It was explained that there had been significant changes to legislation, which had been introduced through the Homeless Reduction Act and had fundamentally changed the responsibilities for Local Authorities.

The following areas that had changed were highlighted as follows;

·    Duty To Provide Advisory Services – Requires free homelessness advice and information services to be provided to all residents and to provide advice designed with certain vulnerable groups in mind.

     Members were assured that SLHD were already providing advice to presenting individuals.

·       Change of Timings Associated of ‘Threatened With Homelessness’ - Extends the period during which someone might be threatened with homelessness from 28 days to 56 days. 

It was explained that the idea behind this was that individuals and households were able to be processed more quickly with more time to support them and prevent the threat of homelessness if possible.

·       Prevention Duty – It was explained that this was a new legal statutory duty placed on the local authority to prevent homelessness.

·       Assessments and Personalised Housing Plans (PHP) – It was outlined that this was about Local Housing Authorities carrying out an assessment of the circumstances and needs of all eligible applicants who were homeless or threatened with becoming homeless within 56 days.  It was explained that each individual required a PHP, which outlined what ‘reasonable steps’ the authority and the applicant needed to take (as agreed with the individual).

·       Duty to Refer – Members were informed that under the act, from 1st October 2018, public bodies in England had a duty to refer an individual’s case (with consent) to the local housing authority if they were threatened with homelessness.

It was explained that it was about creating a culture around early intervention and prevention. It was added that further to the changes in legislation, the context of homelessness locally had changed, in particularly with the most complex individuals.  It was explained that there was a new partnership approach through the Complex Lives Alliance to support those sleeping rough in Doncaster.  It was reported that to date this had worked successfully.

An outline of the structure of the Complex Lives Team was provided to the Panel.  It was explained that the Complex Lives Alliance had created the capacity to enable the management of more complex cases providing an important resource.  It was further added that in the last six months the team had become more integrated through;

·         Co-location with Complex Live team of SLHD Homelessness Single Point of Access

·         CCG specialist Mental Health nurse (from the 1st April).

·         DMBC Housing Benefits Officer seconded to team.

·         NACRO worker seconded to team

 

It was commented that the team had become more effective through bringing a range of more specialist functions to work alongside them, for example, permanent and part-time positions.

 

It was reported that in the height of summer 2018, there had been 65-67 individuals sleeping rough in Doncaster (predominantly within the Town Centre) and this had since reduced to 12-15.  It was continued that there was a comprehensive winter plan, which had been put in place to support this issue following pressures seen from the 2017/18 winter period.

 

Members were provided with the following update on to the Scrutiny Recommendations made as a result of the Panels review.

Recommendation 1. The Homelessness Strategy to be added to the Panel’s work plan in 2017/18.

It was reported that there had been a delay to the Homeless Strategy moving forward and changes made to homeless legislation and Rough Sleeping Strategies. 

Recommendation 2. That an update on the successful funding bid from central government be provided to the Panel during 2017/18

Members were informed that the Rough Sleepers Grant Allocation bid had been successful and the sub region was allocated £400K over the two years 2017/18 and 2018/19.  It was agreed that £48K per annum should be used to have a South Yorkshire approach. Each local authority was then allocated £38K per annum to be utilised to support the prevention of rough sleeping. In Doncaster, it was decided to utilise this funding to support the creation of the Complex Lives Team. 

Since then the Government had announced other funding opportunities following the Rough Sleeping Strategy. 

Rapid Rehousing Pathway – It was noted that Doncaster’s bid for this was based upon enhancing the current resettlement pathways, building capacity within the Complex Lives and associated teams.  Members were informed that currently there were 115 cases in the complex lives cohort, not all of which were supported all of the time.  It was reported that through the intensive work of St Leger Homes Home Options Team, the Complex Lives Team and the wider alliance, that rough sleeping in Doncaster had significantly reduced from the summer peak.  There was a brief discussion around opportunities to rehouse those individuals after leaving prison and the additional support that was needed.

Private Rented Sector Access Fund – It was reported that a bid which had been led by Barnsley (on behalf of Doncaster, Rotherham & Barnsley) had been successful and would help to identify private landlords registered with housing association that properties landlord were willing to release to housing associations.

Rough Sleeping Initiative – Members were informed that in January 2019, a joint bid had been put forward by Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley for the second round of the Rough Sleepers Initiative to enhance our provision.  It was reported that the outcome of this bid was still being waited on.

Recommendation 3 – That support be given to the Principle of Housing First and an update be provided to the Panel 2017/18

Reference was made to the update provided within the report.

Update on Current Homeless Position

It was explained that the main reason for homelessness continued to be the loss of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy.  Other reasons included;

  • Relationship Breakdown
  • Eviction by Parents
  • Eviction by Friends

 

It was confirmed that although the above 4 main reasons for homelessness had not changed, there were now more routes to address it.  Members heard that over the last 12 months, the need to provide additional temporary accommodation over and above the commissioned provision had significantly increased.

 

It was noted that after the 2017/18 winter period, the use of dispersed accommodation had increased to 45 properties and to support the 2018/19 winter period it had increased to 84 properties for temporary accommodation.  It was explained that there had been a significant increase in the need to use bed and breakfast accommodation (due to the statutory duty to provide accommodation).

Assurances were sought around whether the Complex Live Team had the capacity to deal with the number of individuals that it supported. Members were informed that it was a hardworking team but that it was essential to have partner buy in.  It was explained that the team had experienced success but that the work would need to carry on.  It was recognised that it was challenging dealing with marginalised and entrenched people in the community through intense work.  It was felt that a positive solution had been developed through the team which would form a crucial role in terms of prevention in the future.  There was an understanding that national issues had influenced homelessness, for example, welfare reform.

There was a brief discussion around what was in place when prisoners were released.  Reference was made to ‘Through the Gates’ programme, which had been delivered by the Probation Service and had been removed due to cuts in national funding

It was explained that Outreach Workers picked up individuals being released and if they were from outside of Doncaster they were supported to return back to that place.  It was explained that the Complex Lives Team worked with Community Rehabilitation Company to look at how that could be improved.    It was commented that individuals would be supported back into a property or to their place of local connection.  Concern was raised around when the individual had no local connection.  Members were informed that the Complex Lives cohort consisted of all Doncaster based people. 

It was outlined that certain factors were taken into account when supporting the individual, such as considering where they wanted to live as well as deciding what the most appropriate course of action was for them.  It was commented that those individuals were placed in accommodation through a planned process to be supported and monitored through a whole multi-agency protection approach.

In terms of which properties were chosen, Members were informed that it was about firstly choosing what was available, looking at the community and balancing that with the needs of those who were presenting.   Members were reminded that the local authority needed to balance a number of things with ensuring that they fulfilled their statutory requirements.

A Member expressed that they were pleased to hear that the needs of the community were taken into consideration.  Reference was made to incidents when complaints had been made from residents close to individuals placed into temporary accommodation. It was stressed that residents should matter as much as the individual being placed into the accommodation.  Members were assured that the Complex Lives team would support that and where there were issues around anti-social behaviour then that would be taken up with the individual.  It was explained that when an individual was in temporary accommodation, they were placed under a license that set out the level of behaviour that was expected.

Concern was raised by a Member around what information was shared on an individual.  Assurances were provided that information was shared at an appropriate level and by the applicable agencies/bodies (dependent on what it was in relation to e.g. accommodation or recruitment etc).

Clarification was sought around whether existing stock could be renovated to supplement available housing. It was explained that where opportunities arose this approach was taken, an example of this was the recent development with DCST where we have refurbished a property to make it suitable for move on / clustered semi-independent  accommodation for children leaving care. Members were informed that there was nothing in place locally to support individuals to  renovate properties before moving into them, but this may be considered in the future

RESOLVED that the Panel note the report

Supporting documents: