Issue - meetings

Homelessness and rough sleeping strategy

Meeting: 26/11/2019 - Scrutiny Committee (Item 27)

27 Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 pdf icon PDF 124 KB

To consider the report of the head of housing and environment attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The committee considered the head of housing and environment’s report on the draft homelessness and rough sleeping strategy 2020 to 2025.  The strategy was the subject of public consultation which had resulted in 198 responses. The Scrutiny Committee was asked to feed its views back to officers and the Cabinet member. 

 

The Homelessness Act 2002 required the council to review its strategy every five years.  The current joint homelessness strategy with Vale of White Horse  District Council would expire in September 2020.  As part of this review, officers had taken into account the government’s intention to half rough sleeping by 2022 and eradicate it by 2027.  The addition of ‘tackling rough sleeping’ was the biggest difference compared to the current homelessness strategy.  The strategy and action plan must be submitted to the government for approval. 

 

Councillor David Rouane, Cabinet member for housing and environment, reported that although homelessness and rough sleepers had increased nationwide, this was not reflected in South Oxfordshire.  He congratulated the previous administration on the good work undertaken in this area. In 2018/19 alone, the council had assisted 495 households at risk of homelessness.  The number of households in temporary accommodation had also fallen, and the number of rough sleepers recorded in South Oxfordshire in November 2018 was three.  Against benchmark authorities, South Oxfordshire’s figures were very low. 

 

The council had adopted a preventative approach rather than reactive.  This was continued in the draft strategy, which had the following aims:

·         To prevent homelessness whenever possible

·         To end incidents of homelessness at the earliest opportunity

·         To end the need for rough sleeping

 

To achieve these aims, the strategy had five objectives:

1.    To improve county-wide partnership working to prevent and reduce homelessness

2.    To minimise the use of temporary accommodation

3.    To further develop the council’s housing needs service to prevent and relieve homelessness at the earliest opportunity

4.    To improve access to emergency accommodation and increase support for rough sleepers

5.    To improve access to sustainable accommodation for households that are either at risk of homelessness or who are homeless

 

Officers reported that they worked in close collaboration with partner councils and organisations.  The council relied on these partnerships for its success.  Officers did not use a gatekeeping approach, rather households at risk of homelessness were encouraged to approach the council at the earliest opportunity, as early intervention was a key ingredient in preventing homelessness.  A range of solutions were available to suit differing circumstances.  The portfolio of options was set out in the strategy. 

 

The new strategy had a bigger focus on tackling rough sleeping.  Officers intended to increase both the housing and support available for rough sleepers, including a Housing First model, that provided accommodation together with support for rough sleepers.  Officers were investigating the possibility of a Housing First project in South Oxfordshire. 

 

The committee supported the aims and objectives of the draft strategy and reviewed the action plan.  The success of the strategy would be measured against key performance indicators and targets, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27


 

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