Agenda item

To consider a report examining the effectiveness of the multi-disciplinary service in delivering homelessness services in line with the Welsh Government’s vision for homelessness and housing related support services; and review the actions arising from the Internal Audit of ‘Provision of Homeless Accommodation’ as per the referral by the Governance & Audit Committee in January 2021 (copy attached).

 

10:45 – 11:30

 

The Chair welcomed the Head of Community Support Services to his last meeting before entering retirement. The Chair thanked them for his service and wished him well in his retirement.

 

The Lead Member for Well-being and Independence introduced the report (previously circulated) inviting members to examine the effectiveness of the newly restructured service, implemented in April 2021, undertaken with the Welsh Government vision for homelessness and housing related support in mind. Adopting a cross service / corporate approach the emphasis was being placed on intervention and prevention of homelessness.

 

An Internal Audit review of Accommodation Provision for the Homeless was completed in March 2020 which gave a low assurance rating. The Internal Audit follow up report showed that six actions were marked as completed, ten actions were in the process of being addressed. Audit did acknowledge that progress had been made but for the time being the low assurance rating remained. The Lead Member complimented the service staff for all their work under the pressure of the pandemic.

 

The Interim Head of Service, Ann Lloyd, advised that as a result of the restructure a multi-disciplinary team had been implemented. Increased resources meant the team had their own mental health practitioners, a counsellor, social workers and homelessness support practitioners to provide more holistic support. They were awaiting the arrival of a seconded BCUHB substance abuse mental health professional to complete the team.

 

There was an expectation that the numbers of people in emergency temporary accommodation to remain static for the time being – 150 to 180 households. There had been a reduction in the number of families presenting which was being attributed to the Welsh Government stopping evictions and the Court process had not yet caught up with the backlog of cases. They were expected to rise. There had been an increase in the number of under 35s presenting as homeless.

 

Working in conjunction with Housing Services they had been able to secure 99 household tenancies through direct lets from Denbighshire’s Community Housing and other Registered Social Landlords.

 

Funding had been provided for Tenancy Support Workers, focussing on prevention and intervention in order to slow the number of households becoming homeless down. Funding had been secured from the Housing Support Grant to tender for provision to promote engagement with households with issues such as debt, rent arrears or neighbour conflict and early intervention to prevent them becoming homeless.

 

Better quality emergency accommodation was being sought but the barrier of the unavailability of properties remained. There were less rental properties readily available and those that were available were cost prohibitive.

 

 

Responding to the Committee’s questions the officers advised that:

·         The implementation of the restructure and subsequent creation of the multi-disciplinary team had had a positive effect on the citizens being supported, despite the complications that arose with the pandemic.

·         Denbighshire was now ahead of the game in relation to the Welsh Government regulation changes – the rapid rehousing model – in comparison to other local authorities.

·         There had not been a cut in the core budget for the Service. The Housing Support Grant could not legally be used to supplement the Core Budget which covered the statutory services provided.

·         Rent was not paid by the Authority on properties rented from the Community Housing portfolio. It was the householder’s responsibility to pay rent.

·         Corporately the Senior Leadership Team had set up a Homelessness sub group specifically to look at accommodation issues, to improve the quality and availability of emergency and permanent accommodation.

·         A temporary accommodation facility for families – Epworth Lodge – should be available in the new year.

·         There was a higher level of demand in the north of the county rather than the south. There was emergency accommodation available in the south of the county but it would most likely be in a Bed and Breakfast establishment.

·         Every attempt was made to temporarily and permanently accommodate a homeless person or family in their local area and/or close to family support, if it was safe to do so and if suitable property was available.  However, this was not always possible, especially in an emergency situation.

·         Whilst it may appear strange for the Council to decide to dispose of a parcel of land in one part of the county - that could have been used for property development to accommodate the needs of the homeless – the greatest need for accommodation at that time was in Rhyl and the north of the county.

·         A homelessness person could be supplied emergency accommodation (B&B or hotel) straight away. Sometimes the accommodation might be outside of the County.

·         ‘Move on’ accommodation was very difficult to source for the under 35s due to their lack of entitlement to full housing benefit and

·         The potential development of the Maes Emlyn site in Rhyl would be consulted on at Rhyl Member Area Group meeting in January 2022.

 

The Chair asked that a further update report on progress with the improvement action plan be brought to the Partnerships Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled to be held on 7^th July 2022.

 

It was:

 

Resolved: - subject to the above comments and observations that the Committee –

 

(i)     was assured that the implementation of the multi-disciplinary homelessness service and cross-service Corporate approach was in line with the Welsh Government’s vision of homelessness and housing support and was contributing to the Homelessness Prevention Service’s aim to ensure that everyone was safeguarded and supported to line in homes that met their needs; and

(ii) having reviewed the progress with addressing the audit actions, request that a further update report on the progress with the improvement action plan be provided to it during the summer of 2022.  The Chief Internal Auditor would be providing a summary of the progress made to the Governance and Audit Committee on the 16^th March 2022 as part of the Internal Audit Update report.