Agenda item

To consider a position report on homelessness – our demands, gaps and proposals to address them

Officer Ian Bakewell presented the report and presentation, and answered the members’ questions.

Challenge:

Many of the applicants need specialist accommodation and specialist support, which is not currently available. What are we doing for people with severe needs?

Safeguarding is at the forefront of everything that we do. Many of the placements are linked to that. It is still a challenge, but we are reasonably confident about the levels of placements we do that reflect risk assessments and involvement of other agencies. The problem is that, for example, we might have put someone in B&B for safeguarding reasons who otherwise might have been in shared accommodation or Solas. The outcome might not be the ideal placement, but it has been informed by a risk assessment or a safeguarding consideration. We move people quite often, when issues arise. This is an absolute priority for us but working within the parameters that we have is extremely challenging.

Is Welsh Government giving any funding to back up its new, and encouraging, proactive stance on homelessness?

We have Phase 2 homeless funding for a number of short term projects until April. For example, we’re funding a drug and alcohol worker through GDAS. After 1^st April, Welsh Government says there’s nothing available, so we have to wait and see. If there isn’t any funding, there will be a big problem across Wales. I would expect that there will be something. We will know next month.

Are things lined up to provide an emergency stopgap with B&Bs?

Yes, the concern is if our B&Bs refuse to give accommodation. If there were a number of them, it would be extremely difficult, and as things stand I don’t have an answer to that. We would probably look for assistance to do something like Gilwern again. There is some capacity in the system and we have reassurances from the majority to get us to Christmas, and some to April. We can use Welsh Government Hardship funding to help us on that. It doesn’t necessarily give us any guarantees. I’m reasonably confident.

Is the Pobl work to provide temporary accommodation in progress?

Colleagues in the Partnerships team have done a lot of work with Pobl, in terms of remodelling. Unfortunately, in order to cement this arrangement they have had to decommission two services. The Pobl work is due to kick in on 1^st April – they have been very flexible and supportive.

Are there fewer B&B bookings now because of Covid, and will that create a problem at a later stage?

Yes, we are in a bit of a luck situation. Prior to Covid, we were only using one B&B in the county. We have been able to benefit from the lack of tourism and take on more local B&Bs. There might be some risk with this, as mentioned above. I think there is a little bit of assurance because we have propped up a number of businesses during this time.

Does the youth need for mental health and substance misuse support need be highlighted to Welsh Government?

Looking at the positives of the situation, it has highlighted opportunities and needs. With Welsh Government’s changing view, they are probably using it as an opportunity to tackle rough sleeping and youth homelessness – it looks like we are heading towards a situation where everybody can get assistance for homeless accommodation. It’s creating an opportunity to think about the deficiencies and support needs that we have. Welsh Government knows the challenges that we and other local authorities have. All local authorities have been given a relationships manager, so our dialogue with Welsh Government is now more regular. It’s going in the right direction.

Should social housing landlords do more to provide accommodation?

Yes, our social landlords are massive partners in this. So far, they are being supportive but they are only geared up for low need applicants. I’m hopeful that they will change and be more aligned with the reality of the situation. At the moment, they are looking at our Housing Support Grant programme. I’m not sure how that will unravel. From a regulatory perspective, I know that Welsh Government has this on its radar as well, and they ask us for feedback about how housing associations are supporting us. I’m reasonably confident about our housing association partners but there are lots more conversations for us to have.

What is the thinking around the Strategic Housing piece and this new regional board? Has that been on the backburner? What is the housing team’s input into that?

Yes, this needs to be a whole systems approach and the situation has highlighted the need to build more affordable homes. We have had that conversation internally and at informal Cabinet yesterday. This is something that I am very interested in. The concern, going forward, is new homes coming online, from whatever source.

What discussions are we having in relation to the council’s Poverty Plan and the PSB, and the Mental Health service?

Yes, Judith Langdon and I have made connections in regards to the Poverty plan. Homelessness is not a distinct priority of the plan, but I have suggested that homelessness and housing is a theme to run through all aspects of that plan. As you have said, if we get housing right then other benefits will follow. The next step in that regard is to talk to other housing organisations to identify whether there are more opportunities where we can link with other agencies to support this agenda. As an example, many of the young people that we work with have nothing behind them – no bank accounts or savings, and therefore no way to look forward to acquiring property of their own. I am keen to have this sort of conversation. The role of health: this situation has shown that a lot of support needs are above Housing. We currently accommodate a number of people where medical circumstances are appropriate. If we can facilitate with that, we will. I’ve had conversations with various different sections of the community mental health team. Health now has a Housing person who is our ‘go-to’. The work that we are currently doing with GDAS is very interesting and there are more conversations to have with them.

To what extent has training support been given to your team when dealing with people with a lot of problems, particularly around addiction?

Relatively little. Staff have been through drug awareness training in the past, but this probably needs refreshing. We need to work towards a psychologically and trauma aware service, as noted by Councillor Groucott. This will involve training and thinking differently. Perhaps there are parts of the service that are traditional, and we have ambitions (regardless of Welsh Government guidance) to operate the Homeless service in a very different way. Staff needs to understand this area better, and have greater links with the services that provide that support. The GDAS worker that we have is a completely new relationship and is very positive, though in its infancy.

Given the lack of housing, we need properties with single flats for young people – a whole house might not be needed.

One bedroom accommodation is the emerging priority. It is our focus, and young people will benefit from that.

Chair’s Summary:

The committee gives its thanks to the team. In terms of the development of children and young people, the provision of decent affordable housing is critical.

Recommendation 1 is supported. Councillor Groucott proposed a recommendation to appoint a specialist officer to support young people who need 24hr help, a specialist officer who is trained in mental health problems, and recommended a psychologically and trauma aware service with clear systems that provide professional external agency support. He also proposed that a Cabinet member with responsibility in this area attends CYP on a 6 monthly basis to give a specific update on support. The committee agreed these recommendations. Councillor Brown requested feedback about what the Officer thinks of these recommendations. Ian Bakewell replied that he is happy with the recommendations, though with the caveat that they will be resource dependent – all of the progress made by the service will be dependent on staffing. The report to Cabinet due in January will cover resources, which should address the issues highlighted by Councillor Groucott’s recommendations.