Agenda item

The Board considered a report that presented and sought approval of the Move-On Strategy 2010-15 and the Rough Sleepers Strategy 2010-15. It was noted that both strategies sat beneath the over arching Homelessness Strategy.  

Move-On Strategy 2010-15

The Board was advised the strategy contained five key objectives:

·        Increasing move-one through the development of effective partnerships

·        Developing accommodation and support pathways

·        Provision of targeted advice and accommodation options for clients in short-term supported housing

·        Developing a range of new initiatives to increase access to housing solutions

·        Sustaining move-on by encouraging independence 

Rough Sleepers Strategy 2010-15

The Board was advised that the strategy contained six key objectives:

·        Partnership development

·        Early Intervention

·        Prevention and emergency accommodation services

·        Contact and assessment through outreach

·        Accommodation and support pathways

·        Specialist interventions and pathways to independence

In response to a query as to how the number of rough sleepers on the Borough was recorded and what the approximate number was, the Board was advised that it was estimated that there were approximately twenty rough sleepers in the Borough at any given time. The official count, which was undertaken by ? every sixth months, recorded a lower number; however, the figures recorded by the outreach teams, which worked with homeless people on a day to day basis showed that the figure of twenty was likely to be more accurate.

It was noted that as part of the strategy a ‘Task and Targeting’ group would be established to case manage rough sleepers. This would provide a higher level of targeted support on a one to one basis to assist individuals address the issues that were causing them to be homeless.

The Board was advised the Council’s Corporate Strategy and Supporting People teams had reviewed the Action Plan attached to the Move-On Strategy and as a result of their recommendations specific teams had been allocated responsibility for delivering the actions it contained.

In conclusion the Board was advised that both strategies were also subject to approval by the Council’s Cabinet on 13 July 2010.

The Board discussed the strategies and concern was raised that moving people with complex backgrounds out of Temporary Accommodation (TA) too quickly may damage the stability of their environment.  This would need to be taken into account and reflected within the strategy.

Concern was raised that Housing Associations were often not given the necessary information by the Local Authority to inform the way in which people with complex backgrounds were handled. This lack of information meant that there were often problems attached to moving people from long term TA into permanent accommodation. 

The Board was advised that the Council recognised the importance of sharing information with Housing Associations. In consultation with the Housing Associations, via the Housing Associations Letting Forum, procedures around moving people on had been revised in order to assist Housing Associations make their assessments and a new protocol had been formed. There was agreement that the details of any specific cases where partners felt that information had not been shared properly should be raised with the Council’s Strategic Housing team and discussed outside the meeting.

In response to a query the Board was advised that elements of the action plan where it was stated that ‘resources were to be identified’ largely related to the cost attached to staff time rather than requiring additional funding.

It was noted that moving people on generally involved a number of organisations and Council services and that Adult Social Services played a key role in managing these effectively. The Board was reminded that it had previously agreed an Information Sharing Protocol that partners had agreed to take back and use within their respective organisations.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the amendment of typographical errors on pages 44 and 68, the Move-On Strategy 2010-15 and the Rough Sleepers Strategy 2010-15 should be approved.