Agenda item

(Update from the Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods and Head of Homelessness and Housing Solutions)

The Chair welcomed Councillor Alex Farrell, the Portfolio Holder for Social Housing and Homeless Prevention, Tina Mustafa, Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods and Sarah Finnegan, Head of Homelessness and Housing Solutions to the meeting.  Councillor Farrell introduced the presentation and handed over to the Officers to take the Committee through it.

The Assistant Director reported that the objective of the presentation was to provide the Committee with an understanding of homelessness, to share the progress made on the rough sleeping initiative and to provide an overview of the proposed Winter Relief Arrangements for the Committee’s comments prior to consideration by Cabinet on 11 November 2021.

The Assistant Director provided an overview of the Government’s strategy and the vision to half rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2025 and Tamworth borough Council’s own strategy which was built around the three pillars of prevention, intervention and recovery.  The Assistant Director reported that the Borough had no entrenched rough sleepers, however there were transient rough sleepers in the Borough and that the next annual rough sleeping count would take place on 20^th October 2021 and the target the Council had set itself for 2021 was 0.  The count would be submitted to Government.

The Head of Homelessness and Housing Solutions explained that someone could be considered homeless if they were rough sleeping, or they did not have a right to stay where they were or if their housing was unsuitable, this could include staying with family or friends, or in a hostel or night shelter, squatting or living in poor conditions that affect their health, as well as being at risk of violence or abuse in their home, or living apart from your family because there was no place to live together.

The Head of Homelessness provided an overview of the processes and steps followed under the legislation and the changes brought in from 2018 where additional prevention and relief duties were introduced and where additional decision points of the local authority could be reviewed.

The Assistant Director provided an overview of the application of the Rough Sleeping Initiative funding received following a successful bid and the creation of new officer posts to provide mental health support, outreach support and neighbourhood coaching which were aimed at preventing homelessness.  It was reported that work continued to identify initiatives for the remainder of the funding including a proposal to launch a begging initiative as well as supporting targeted interventions to support rough sleepers’ resettling.

The Assistant Director reported that the proposed Winter Relief Arrangements which would go forward to Cabinet included the proposal to continue to work with the Heart of Tamworth charity through the winter months to provide wrap around support and to work closely with the Housing Solutions team.

The Committee sought further clarification on:

·       How the Council was notified of rough sleepers, where it was reported that there were a variety of ways that the Council would learn about this which included notifications from staff within Street Scene, from Community wardens, Police Community Safety Officers, from the CCTV service as well as reports from members of the public and partner organisations in the community.  The Neighbourhoods team also proactively looked for rough sleepers and undertook preventative activities to help minimise rough sleeping.

·       How the Council managed to differentiate between rough sleepers and others who could appear as rough sleepers to facilitate begging, where it was reported that where appropriate the Council would have conversations with the individuals and if there was a community safety issue the Council would look at appropriate and proportionate measures in conjunction with partners to tackle that in conjunction with looking at initiatives to deter any begging by removing the financial incentives and some of the grant funding was being directed to find solutions to remove the financial incentives.  

·       How the Council supported rough sleepers with complex needs where it was reported that work continued to address these needs on an individual basis.

The Committee thanked the Officers for their work in this area, following which the Officers and portfolio Holder left the meeting.