Agenda item

Members are asked to consider an update on the council’s plans to reduce homelessness through the resettlement pathway. Consideration of this item has been deferred from the committee’s 12 June 2024 meeting.

The committee considered a report on resettlement pathways for those over the age of 16 in York who found themselves homeless. Discussion of this item had been deferred from the committee’s 12 June 2024 meeting.

Officers provided an overview and responded to questions from the committee. It was confirmed that:

·       Work was underway to bring in-house the community wellbeing resettlement services currently run by Changing Lives, including the operation of the single persons hostel at Union Terrace, and the women-only hostel at Robinson Court. Transfer of services and approximately 45 staff to the council would take place on 30 November 2024. The transition project was being resourced from existing budgets.

·       Alongside this a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy was in development. This would take a Housing First approach focusing on rapid re-housing and would support individuals and families to establish and maintain tenancies through cross-agency support services. It would aim to address the specific needs of disabled people, prevent rough sleeping, tackle domestic abuse and make more homes available.

·       There was an integral relationship with Children’s Services around youth homelessness with protocols in place for care leavers and homeless 16- and 17-year-olds. Responsible managers were supported with Ofsted registration and a specific Ofsted-registered site for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds was being developed at Scarcroft Road.

·       Liaison was taking place with the Probation Service in relation to the early release of prisoners; with expected numbers in York at fewer than five, any demand for homelessness services could be accommodated within existing resources.

·       The data-led performance framework referred to in the Equalities Impact Assessment at Annex C was in development with partners and Business Intelligence colleagues. This would include qualitative local information drawing on lived experience of services alongside statutory quantitative data.

With reference to the new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy it was noted that:

·       Partnership working was embedded in the new strategy and was integral to providing wraparound support alongside the core services delivered by the council. Consultation was taking place with partners, including Changing Lives and the Salvation Army, in drafting strategic priorities over the coming weeks.

·       The strategy would be driven forward by a new strategic governance structure with two elements: an operational board chaired by the Head of Housing Management and Housing Options, and a multiagency strategic partnership board chaired by the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Integration which would report to the York Place Board of the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

·       Lessons learnt from the review of the previous contract with the Salvation Army, which had recently been considered by the Audit and Governance Committee, would inform this work. As part of that process the Director of Housing and Communities had held meetings with the Salvation Army’s regional director and assistant director responsible for local services.

·       Compliance with financial and contractual regulations would be the responsibility of senior managers at the council but the effectiveness of outcomes will be monitored and challenged by the strategic board. Robust performance evaluation was crucial and it was hoped that the Centre for Housing Studies at the University of York would provide independent evaluation.

·       The Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities noted that rough sleeping figures were now published monthly. He outlined the benefits of the proposed approach and noted the importance of transparency and engagement in developing services which could improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness.

·       The strategy would be considered by the Executive on 12 December. Committee members were invited to input into its development ahead of this and discussed options for a suitable format and date for doing so, with a view to reviewing the draft strategy during October.

Resolved:

i.                    To note the progress on this service provision and to agree to a further item to be presented to the Committee in early 2025, once the new in-house service delivery is underway.

ii.                  That the chair and vice-chair liaise with officers to organise a suitable format and date for committee members to consider the new draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, ahead of the Executive considering the strategy at its December meeting.

Reasons:  

i.                    To keep the committee updated.

ii.                   To ensure that committee members are able to give their input into the development of new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.