Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:-

1.    That the proposed Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2019 – 2022 be approved.

2.    That the Strategy be reviewed annually to provide an update of progress against the six aims.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the new draft Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2019-22.  The Strategy had been developed in consultation with Council staff, stakeholders and residents and set the key strategic priorities over the next 3 years.

There were 6 aims in the Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2019-22:-

1.         To support people with complex needs.

2.         To prevent homelessness and offer rapid housing solutions to get people in urgent need rehoused quicker.

3.         To increase support for young people to prevent homelessness.  

4.         To end rough sleeping and begging.

5.         To improve access to tenancy support, employment and health support services.

6.         To ensure there is sufficient decent emergency accommodation.

The Strategy was based on a sound evidence base and met the increased demand and legislative requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, it also reflected the views of people living and working in Rotherham.

There have been changes in legislation since the last Strategy but the Council  had continued the clear focus on early intervention to prevent homelessness and would offer effective homelessness services, creating less disruption for people experiencing this difficult situation.

New legislation, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, was clearly recognised in terms of preventing or relieving homelessness for everyone, not just those in priority need. The impact was that the Council was able to help more people sooner and therefore, prevent crisis situations.

The Homelessness Team was currently working alongside agencies such as Shiloh, the charity that operated a Homelessness Day Centre, and was lucky to have this support in Rotherham. The Centre supported local people facing homelessness.

The Council also had a duty to provide emergency housing for people who may be eligible, homeless and in priority need of housing if they have nowhere else to stay. In addition to the Homelessness services available during working hours, the Homelessness “Out of Hours Service” was set up to help people move into temporary accommodation at weekends or during the night.

In 2018 the Council increased its temporary accommodation from 29 to 50 units.

It had also been noted that there was little provision of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers with dogs.  The Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Action Plan would address this gap with the provision of 2 pet friendly units with specialist furnishing and floor coverings.

The Council with partners from South Yorkshire Housing Association and Target Housing also launched a Housing First Scheme providing a home for people, with highly complex needs, who were homeless or sleeping rough in the Rotherham area. The scheme offered housing to people first, with no conditions around receiving support with the belief that securing a stable home-base could be the starting point for the achievement of positive change.

Since the launch of the scheme 20 people with complex needs have been accommodated and there were 14 on the waiting list.

The Council had also previously commissioned a rough sleeper outreach service, but the funding had now ceased.  Existing officers within the Homelessness Team would now embed this as part of their checks within the town centre.

Cabinet Members welcomed the report and its vision to end homelessness in Rotherham, the production of the Strategy in accordance with the Homelessness Strategy, 2017 and the legal definitions of homelessness and rough sleeping.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations, subject to an annual review of the Strategy being submitted to the Improving Places Select Commission; reporting specifically on the Strategy’s financial sustainability and compliance with Homelessness Reduction Act, 2017.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the proposed Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2019 – 2022 be approved.

(2)  That the Strategy be reviewed annually to provide an update of progress against the six aims.