Members will receive a presentation from the Housing Services Manager

& Community Services Manager on Homelessness in the District.

The Chair, Cllr. Nick Brown welcomed officers to the meeting, who provided an overview as follows:

·         An overview of the national homelessness strategy, which includes:

1.    Long term sustainable change to address the root causes of homelessness

2.    Immediate action to end the use of B&Bs for families and improve temporary accommodation

3.    Transformed accountability – which includes support for councils to have stronger oversight and deliver better outcomes

4.    Shift from crisis to prevention

5.    Halving the number of people experiencing long term rough sleeping

·         Members considered the Council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030 key priorities:

1.    Prevent homelessness and reduce the use of temporary accommodation

2.    Increase the supply of affordable housing for both General Needs Households and Vulnerable Groups

3.    Continue to develop partnership work with existing stakeholders and seek to form new innovative partnerships.

4.    Supporting vulnerable households to be independent and self-reliant.

Members considered the initiatives to reduce homelessness costs, which included reducing the use of nightly paid temporary accommodation, increasing the use of council owned/leased accommodation and strengthening prevention and early intervention.

Scrutiny considered the homelessness team resource, where the average caseload was 46 for each case officer, the identified trigger was 40. The households in and cost of temporary accommodation has increased significantly. The pressure on teams had also increased.

Members considered the current owned, leased and temporary accommodation. The current stock includes:

·         12 flats in Glen Parva and 3x2 bed homes in Littlethorpe

·         1x3 bed house, 2x2 bed flat, 1x1 bed flat leased from East Midlands Homes

·         12 units recently leased for singles in Enderby

·         Currently in advanced stages to purchase a further 41 units.

The officers provided an overview of current initiatives which included:

·         Tenancy Sustainment Officer – providing assistance to households to retain tenancies (through budgeting, applying for welfare benefits, charitable donations, liaison with landlords, and new and existing tenants)

·         Supported provision for single households with complex needs – e.g. drug/alcohol, mental health needs.

·         Pre-tenancy workshops for households in temporary accommodation

·         Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme (RSAP) – Countywide Housing First Scheme with the Blaby District as the lead authority.

·         Rough Sleepers Initiative – Countywide initiative assisting rough sleepers with support and accommodation.

Due to time constraints of the meeting, the Chair, Cllr. Nick Brown deferred the remaining discussion of the item. The meeting had yet to consider financial implications of homelessness and required more time to do so. It was agreed that the Commissioners would discuss a suitable date at their next meeting.

Members placed on record their thanks to the Housing Services Manager for his dedicated service and valuable contribution to the Council over many years. They acknowledged his commitment to supporting residents and improving housing services and extended their best wishes to him for a long and happy retirement when he leaves the Council in August.