BOROUGH OF POOLE

REPORT- COMMUNITY SUPPORT OVERVIEW GROUP

23 MARCH 2004

HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY ACTION PLAN

PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN: YES

1. PURPOSE AND POLICY CONTEXT

1.1The purpose of this report is to request members to consider the draft homelessness strategy and the successful bid to the Government’s Bed and Breakfast Unit.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 Members are asked to consider the progress made on the

Homelessness Strategy Action Plan in Appendix A.

2.2 Members are further asked to consider the recommendations

for utilising the grant monies available from the Government’s

Bed and Breakfast Unit, as set out in Section 4.

2.3 Subject to members consideration and comment, refer the

recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for their decision.

3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 The Homelessness Act 2002 required local authorities to have

a homelessness strategy in place by July 2003.

3.2 The strategy has been developed by a member steering group

which set up working groups to examine three main issues;

the prevention of homelessness, the provision of more

accommodation and support for households to assist them in

maintaining their accommodation. Consultation has also taken

place with the Poole Housing Forum and the “stakeholders

day” held in July 2003.

3.3 The Action Plan identifies resource requirements to deliver the

strategy . Grant funding will be required to assist with the

continuation of the Poole Accommodation and Support

Scheme and the mediation service provided by Relate.

3.4 Members are asked to note that £80,000 has been secured

from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and

recommendations on how these monies can be best used are

set out below.

4. PROPOSALS

4.1 Following a successful bid to the Government’s Bed and

Breakfast Unit £80,000 is available for projects identified in the

Homelessness Strategy. The following proposals are

recommended:-

4.2 Mediation training for Housing Advisers, Resettlement Officers

and the Tenancy Support Worker to enable staff to prevent

homelessness by mediating between parents and their children

and couples having relationship difficulties.£6,000.

4.3 Employment of Tenancy Support worker to enable those

with difficulties maintaining their tenancies to receive support

and prevent homelessness occurring. £27,000

4.3 Out of borough moving expenses to provide removal expenses

for those willing to move to areas where there is a surplus of

social housing. £5,000.

4.4 Enhancement of under-occupation incentive scheme to
encourage Council and housing association tenants to move
to smaller properties by enhancing the cash incentive and
providing practical assistance in moving home. £20,000.

4.5 Housing Services Money Advice Service carried out by the

Citizens Advice Bureau in advising potentially homeless

applicants about financial problems. £18,000.

4.6 Security measures for victims of domestic violence to enable them to remain in their own homes if they wish. £4,000.

5. CONCLUSIONS

5.1 The Homelessness Strategy Action Plan seeks to achieve the

Government’s aims to:-

  • Keep the levels of rough sleeping as close to zero as possible
  • To end the use of Bed and breakfast for homeless families, except in short term emergencies, by March 2004.

5.2 Further, the successful bid to Government has resulted in

£80,000 being allocated to the Borough for various

homelessness initiatives.

SIMON HENDEY

HEAD OF HOUSING & COMMUNITY SERVICES

Key Contact

KEITH MITCHELL

HOUSING NEEDS MANAGER

633434

Background Papers

Homelessness strategy action plan

Project reference / Targets / Lead officer / Partners involved / Resources required / Update
Strategic objective - Understanding homelessness
1a / By September 2003 to have let a tender for research into the reasons for homelessness for single people with supported housing needs / Keith Mitchell / Supporting people team
Social services adult commissioning / Funding for research project to be provided by Supporting people / Ongoing discussions with neighbouring boroughs and Chief Housing Officers Group
1b / By March 2005 to have established a protocol with neighbouring boroughs and Registered social landlords to record single homelessness / Keith Mitchell / Bournemouth Borough Council
Christchurch Borough Council
Registered social landlords / Staff resources / Ongoing discussions with neighbouring boroughs
1c / By March 2005 to have established the protocol for undertaking the snapshot survey / Keith Mitchell / Bournemouth Borough Council and Christchurch borough Council
Registered social landlords / Staff resources / Ongoing discussions with neighbouring boroughs
1d / By November 2003 to have agreed the project brief with all partners to research reasons for homelessness amongst single people / Ben Tomlin
Christine Johnson / Children and families Social services
Connexions
PASS
Quay Foyer
Youth services / Staff time / Research ongoing. Not completed
To undertake the research during the months of April to May 2004 / Keith Mitchell / Children and families Social services
Connexions
PASS
Quay Foyer
Youth services / Staff time and associated resources / Discussion taken place with Bournemouth University – survey form being drawn up and resources being sought
1e / By November 2003 to have consulted with the Asian Community on the brief for the research project / Laura Snowden / Chaplain for faith community groups
Dorset race equality Council / Staff time / Not completed Awaiting re-drafting of leaflets to be able to offer more useful information.
1f / By September 2003 to have set up procedure for identifying repeat homeless application and interview process / Ben Tomlin / Staff time / Procedure in place.
To undertake research over months of September 2003 to February 2004 / Ben Tomlin / Research done
1g / By June 2004 to have consulted on the research brief on tenancy termination by landlords / Donna Gould
Laura Snowden / Dorset Residential Landlords Association. / Staff time / Ongoing
2. Strategic objective – Housing advice – preventing people losing their homes
2a / By March 2004 to have provided housing advice to 2000 households / Keith Mitchell / PASS / Staff resources and PASS funding / On target - 1967 enquiries dealt with to date.
2b / By March 2004 to have secured a 10% reduction on homeless applications / Keith Mitchell / CAB debt service / Staff resources / Homeless applications not reduced although those accepted have reduced by 30%
2c / By March 2004 to have secured a 10% reduction in the main causes of homelessness / Keith Mitchell / Dorset residential landlords association / Staff resources / Reductions
DV 22%
Relationship breakdown - 23%
Parental eviction 2%.
Friend/relations 25%
No reduction in loss of private rented accommodation but 3% reduction in acceptances.
2d / By March 2004 to have secured a 10% reduction in repeat homeless applications / Keith Mitchell / Staff resources / New definition of “repeat homelessness” equates to a very small number of applications in Poole.
2e / By July 2004 to have shown the youth homelessness video to 300 young people / Christine Johnson
Ben Tomlin / Housing forum
Local schools
Youth service / Staff resources
Video copies / ODPM funding as well as others / On target. Dates set with schools, training and publicity material arranged.
2f / By March 2004 to have given presentations to young people at youth clubs on homelessness / Christine Johnson
Karla Butler Sheona Craig / Youth services
Voluntary groups / Staff resources / No presentations given yet due to lack of training material.
2g / By March 2004 to have published further set of housing advice leaflets / Laura Snowden / Advice agencies
FSR homelessness sounding board / Staff resources
ODPM bed and breakfast unit funding of £ 1,500 / Two sets of leaflets produced. Another set of draft leaflets with printers.
2h / By March 2004 to have reviewed information provision / Laura Snowden / FSR sounding board
Disability groups
Black and ethnic minority groups / Staff resources
Funding fro translations and transcription within Council budgets. / Internal review carried out in conjunction with change to choice based lettings.
2i / By March 2005 to have established a mediation service for relationship breakdown / Keith Mitchell
Tom – research
All to train / Dorset mediation
Relate / Grant funding / Needs analysis done and training plan being drawn up with Relate.
2j / By March 2004 to have secured continued funding for PASS / Keith Mitchell / Housing forum
Homes4let / Grant funding and homes4let surpluses / Funding secured until March 2007
2k / By May 2004 to have reviewed housing advice and homelessness procedures and bid for Community legal service quality mark / Keith Mitchell
Laura Snowden / Other local authorities / Staff resources and existing budgets / All procedures being reviewed and new ones being written. Ongoing
2l / By March 2004 to have established a new service for those experiencing domestic violence so they can remain in their homes / Karla Butler / Domestic violence forum / Staff resources
New budget provision to fund service / Lifelines being installed. Funding for Safe Room available from April 2004.
2m / By September 2004 to have set up a dedicated housing advice service for the new refuge / Karla Butler / Bournemouth churches housing association / Staff resources / Meetings taking place with Refuge Manager. Ongoing
2n / By March 2004 to have set up mortgage and rent arrears loan procedure / Donna Gould
Laura Snowden / Staff resources
Budget to cover bad debts / Procedure in place.
2o / By March 2004 to have established a discharge protocol with local hospitals / Tom Kelly
Donna Gould / Primary care trust / Staff resources / Ongoing
3. Strategic objective 3 – helping people keep their homes
3a / By November 2003 to have produced a resettlement survival pack / Sheona Craig
Karla Butler / Registered social landlords
Primary care trust
Social services / Staff resources and existing budgets fro printing plus ODPM funding / Information gathered. In process on producing pack in house.
3b / By October 2003 to have reviewed capacity to expand resettlement service / Sheona Craig
Karla Butler / Registered social landlord
Supporting people / Staff resources
Supporting people funding / Review done. New part time worker starts 23 March 2004
3c / By March 2004 to have set up bi-monthly support group for resettlement service users / Sheona Craig / Service users
Registered social landlord
Social services / Staff resources / Not achieved due to pressure of work.
3d / By December 2003 to have set up a donation scheme / Sheona Craig
Karla Butler / Local retailers
Dorset reclaim
Church groups / Staff resources / Fundraising carried out in December. Discussions taking place with Dorset Reclaim.
3e / By March 2004 to have established a resettlement network / Sheona Craig
Karla Butler / Registered social landlord
Social services
Primary care trust
Church groups / Staff resources
Exiting Council budgets to fund newsletters / Not achieved due to pressure of work.
3f / By March 2005 to have set up volunteer service to offer befriending, transport and out of hours service / Sheona Craig
Karla Butler / Church groups
Poole Council for voluntary services / Staff resources / Ongoing.
4. Strategic objective Providing more homes – increasing choice
4a / By March 2004 to have audited Registered social landlord nominations and secured 100% of all nominations / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlords / Staff resources / Audit complete. 100% nomination rights secured with 3 out of 4 preferred partners. Other RSLs expected to follow suit.
4b / By March 2005 to have secured 300 units of affordable housing through the planning process / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord
Housing corporation
Developers / Staff resources
Social housing grant / 502 planned by end of 2005/6
4c / By March 2004 to have reviewed hard to let sheltered housing stock with a view to change use / Kelly Ansell / Housing consultative panel
Tenants / Staff resources / Best value review taking place but not complete
4d / By March 2004 to have established move on quotas for all hostels in Poole / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlords / Staff resources / More discussion needed with RSLs. Ongoing
4e / By November 2003 to have reviewed the Councils allocation policy / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord
Housing consultative panel
FSR sounding board and focus groups / Staff resources
£ 2,000 existing Council budget / Achieved. Date order and choice based lettings policies in place.
4f / By March 2004 to have housed 70 homeless households / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord / Staff resources / Achieved
4g / By March 2004 to have reduced length of stay in temporary accommodation for homeless households to 6 weeks / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord / Staff resources / Achieved
4h / By August 2004 to have enabled the opening of the new homeless hostel at Princess Road / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord / Staff resources / On site. Completion January/February 2005
4i / By January 2005 to have enabled the opening of the new domestic violence refuge / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord / Staff resources / On site. Completion August/September 2004
4j / By March 2005 to have secured 8 units of accommodation for those with mental health problems / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord
Housing Corporation
Social services / Staff resources
Social housing grant / 5 units secured for 2004/5. No more planned due to lack of funding from Supporting People.
4k / By August 2005 to have redeveloped the Councils hostels to make them self contained / Kelly Ansell / Arms length management organisation / Budget provision in the region of £ 520,000 included in the building cost model to inform the ALMO bid / Ongoing
4l / By November 2003 to have provided regular information on out of borough rehousing opportunities / Kelly Ansell / Other local authorities / Staff resources
£ 2,000 ODPM bed and breakfast unit funding / TV/video ordered for reception area.
Regular information provided on available homes outside the borough.
4m / By November 2003 to have established an out of borough support policy / Kelly Ansell / Other local authorities / New budget requirement / Budget for removal expenses set up.
4n / By March 2005 to have inspected 288 private sector properties / Trevor George / Dorset residential landlords association / Staff resources / On target
4o / By March 2005 to have 65 accredited landlords / Trevor George / Dorset residential landlords association / Staff resources / Currently 22. Estimate 40 by 2005
4p / By March 2005 to have 150 accredited tenants / Trevor George / Dorset residential landlords association / Staff resources / Currently 93.
4q / By March 2004 Homes4let to have secured 40 properties in management / Keith Mitchell
Darrel / Dorset residential landlords association / Staff resources
ODPM bed and breakfast unit funding of £ 15,000 / 50 properties in management
4r / By March 2006 to have issued 300 rent in advance and deposit loans / Keith Mitchell
Karla / Landlords / Staff resources
Existing Bad debt provision / On target
4s / By March 2006 to have brought 40 empty properties back into use / Trevor George / Landlords / Staff resources
ODPM bed and breakfast unit funding of £ 40,000 in 2003/4 / On target.
4t / By March 2004 to have established a low cost home ownership strategy / Kelly Ansell / Registered social landlord
Developers / Staff resources
£ 250,000 a year to fund a programme of 10 cash inventive purchases / Ongoing

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