Agenda item

Context:

 

The report presents the proposed Gwent Regional Homelessness Strategy 2018-2022 and Action Plan, including the proposed Monmouthshire specific actions setting out the approach for tackling homelessness across Gwent. The report also includes a regional review of homeless services for Gwent, which informed the development of the strategy.

 

Key Issues:

 

·         Under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, it is a statutory requirement for the Council to publish a Homelessness Strategy that sets out its plans to prevent and tackle homelessness in their area.

 

·         The impact homelessness can have is devastating, not only on those affected by it but also on society both in terms of financial and social costs.

 

·         The Council has seen improved responses to homelessness since the previous strategy through the introduction of many initiatives such as:

 

-           Monmouthshire Lettings Agency.

-           Family Mediation Service.

-           Youth Accommodation Service.

-           Financial Inclusion Service.

-           Housing Support Services through the Gateway.

 

·         However, homelessness is still with us and demand continues to rise especially with the impact around welfare reform and the introduction of the new statutory duties under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

 

·         There is a need for the Council to continue to find innovative solutions, not only to traditional causes of homelessness, but also to other areas such as mental health and rough sleeping.

 

·         In response, Monmouthshire County Council along with Torfaen County Borough Council, Newport City Council, Caerphilly County Borough Council and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council concluded that working collaboratively to prevent and alleviate homelessness in Gwent was the best approach.

 

·         This regional approach would enable the five partners to share resources and consider needs across local authority boundaries. A working group was established consisting of lead officers from the five authorities.

 

·         The working group agreed that the appointment of a Regional Research Officer was required to conduct a homelessness review across the five authorities and produce a review document that would inform the strategy.

·         The Review has taken into account data from various sources and consultations with various partners and stakeholders including internal departments and teams within the five local authorities.

 

·         In particular, it has looked at the following issues:

 

-           Excluded groups.

-           Families.

-           Single homeless people.

-           People with complex dependencies.

-           Causes of homelessness.

-           Current strategies and policies that support prevention.

-           Current services and support available to homeless households.

-           How this strategy links with Welsh Government aims.

-           It has identified emerging and potential challenges.

 

·         Based on the extensive research the Review Document directed the development of the Strategy, and Regional and Local Action Plans for the forthcoming four years.

 

·         The Strategy reflects the four priorities identified by the review:

 

Priority 1:       Help improve access to suitable and affordable housing.

 

Priority 2:       Offer fast and effective advice and support, working with partners to help vulnerable people.

 

Priority 3:       Minimise homelessness and prevent it through early intervention.

 

Priority 4:       Ensure fair, equal and person-centred homeless services.

 

·         Ten strategic objectives and their accompanying actions help deliver on the four priorities.

 

·         As the strategy and action plan is a ‘live’ document, a working group will be established to monitor and evaluate its implementation.

 

Options Appraisal:

 

Option 1: To do nothing.

 

Option 2: To produce a Monmouthshire centric strategy.

 

Option 3: To implement the Strategy.

 

Member Scrutiny:

 

·         The discrepancy between housing benefit and market rents can be as much as up to £100 per month. This has a bearing on whether a household is able to access the private rented sector.

 

·         There are other challenging issues within the private rented sector, namely, landlords not wishing to rent their properties to certain clientele.

 

·         The private rented sector is difficult to access in Monmouthshire.

 

·         The Monmouthshire Lettings Scheme service has been established with a view to encouraging landlords to work with the Authority, which is proving to be successful.

 

·         Homesearch is classed as an inactive market which contributes to a lack of affordable housing within the private rented sector. However, schemes are being introduced with a view to encouraging landlords to participate.

 

·         Landlords are being encouraged via incentives to become involved in the shared Lodgings scheme which provides accommodation for younger, single people.

 

·         Monmouthshire does not have many career landlords with a large stock of properties that they are committed to managing.  The majority of landlords have perhaps one buy to rent property that is managed by an agent.  Agents are less likely to accept housing benefit claimants.

 

·         One of the main issues is accessing accommodation and affordability.

 

·         Officers are working to expand available stock.  However, when this becomes saturated, bed and breakfast and other accommodation have to be used from time to time.

 

·         In February 2019, the Select Committee will be scrutinising Universal Credit and how this will impact on Monmouthshire’s residents. Homesearch will also be scrutinised at this meeting.

 

·         It would be helpful if a summary section 5 of the Strategy relating to Monmouthshire could be placed at the beginning of the document.

 

·         In response to questions raised by a Select Committee Member, it was noted that the Monmouthshire Lettings Service offers the landlord incentives and added value. This can be in the way of financial incentives and landlord support, in terms of supporting the tenant. This will generate an extended tenancy up to three years.

 

·         Under the Monmouthshire Lettings Service, shared accommodation is running 55 bed spaces. 45 properties are run via Private Sector Leasing (PSL). There are also 20 managed properties and there is the hostel with five units.

 

·         A Select Committee Member provided the Committee with an account of her time when she became homeless and expressed her support for people who open up their homes to people who are less fortunate. The Member expressed her support for the Strategy and in particular the home share scheme.

 

·         In response to a Select Committee Member’s question regarding the proposed creation of a Gwent wide strategy, it was noted that some time ago Monmouthshire County Council’s Housing Department went into partnership with Torfaen County Borough Council’s Housing Department.  Within Monmouthshire there are geographical issues within its own boundaries. For example, a family living in Chepstow encountering housing difficulties might only be offered accommodation in Monmouth, which might be regarded by them as being too far from their home town. Therefore, it might be just as difficult, if not more difficult to accept, if a Monmouthshire resident is offered accommodation in another county.

 

·         Monmouthshire’s housing stock already includes a few houses in Cwmbran which form part of the House Share scheme. These are often rejected by Monmouthshire homeless people due to their location.

 

·         Arising from the consultation, it had been noted that within the proposed Strategy, there is scope to look at niche cases, such as high risk offenders, with a view to suitably house these individuals.

 

·         Special needs accommodation is also a consideration under the proposed strategy. There is more scope to provide this accommodation via the proposed Strategy.

 

·         In response to a question raised by a Select Committee Member regarding shared resources and potential Section 33 agreements under the 2006 Health Act, with other authorities with regard to pooling funding, officers stated that they would investigate the matter and report back to the Member.

 

Committee’s Conclusion:   ·         A summary relating to Monmouthshire to be attached to the front of the strategy and that appendix 4 also be at the front of the strategy.   ·         Explore joint ventures, such as hostel provision on a regional basis.   ·         Lack of housing due to the low numbers of privately rented properties. Private landowners are provided with incentives to provide this service, which the Select Committee should continue to monitor via an annual report.   ·         Encourage the development of the Home Share Scheme via a strategy.   ·         Be mindful of the issues regarding homeless Monmouthshire residents not wanting to be accommodated out of County.   We resolved that the Gwent Homeless Strategy be presented to full Council on the 20th December 2018 with a recommendation that Option 3 be adopted, namely, to adopt the strategy.