Issue - meetings
Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy
Meeting: 12/03/2024 - Cabinet (Item 134)
134 Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy PDF 153 KB
Additional documents:
- Enc. 1 for Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy, item 134 PDF 181 KB
- Enc. 2 for Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy, item 134 PDF 51 KB
- Enc. 3 for Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy, item 134 PDF 182 KB
- Webcast for Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Update Report & Homelessness Policy
Decision:
As detailed in the recommendations.
Minutes:
Councillor Bibby introduced the report and explained that Homelessness was a statutory service that continued to be under significant strain. External factors associated with the cost-of-living crisis and housing market conditions were increasing the levels of homelessness and the risks associated with homelessness for the people of Flintshire.
The Chief Officer (Housing and Communities) added that the need to offer accommodation and support to everyone who was homeless and at risk of rough sleeping continued to be a significant capacity and financial challenge. The local private sector housing market is seeing significant challenges with fewer properties available each year and many landlords leaving the market, which in turn created homelessness as properties were being sold and residents were asked to leave, whilst at the same time meaning fewer properties were available to support the relief of homelessness.
Changes to homeless legislation (Housing Wales Act 2014) and specifically the introduction of an eleventh category of Priority Need for Rough Sleeping and those at risk of sleeping rough, sees a sustainment of the “no one left out” approach
adopted during the covid pandemic and now firmly establishes the principles of “no
one left out” on a legal footing and as standard practice.
As a result, more people have been owed accommodation duties which resulted in increasing demands on already stretched homeless accommodation, at significant cost to the Council. The report provided an insight into homelessness and rough sleeping for 2023 and includes the draft Homeless Accommodation Policy for review and approval.
RESOLVED:
(a) That the work being undertaken by the Housing Prevention Service be supported and the report be noted; and
(b) That the draft Homeless Accommodation policy be approved.