Issue - meetings

Recommendation HP 24/11 of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee in respect of temporary accommodation

Consideration was given to recommendation HP 24/11 of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 March 2024 in respect of a recent consultancy review of temporary accommodation and homelessness. 

Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Scrutiny Select Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and legal implications and recognised that given the continued demands on homelessness services and the need for temporary accommodation, the Borough Council would be unable to continue to manage the temporary accommodation numbers without the service working at maximum efficiency and effectiveness. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)    the Temporary Accommodation and Homelessness Service Review (attached at Annex 1), be noted; and

(2)    the Action Plan (attached at Annex 2), be approved.

(Decision Notice: D240041CAB)

Consideration was given to recommendation HP 24/11 of the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 March 2024 in respect of a recent consultancy review of temporary accommodation and homelessness. 

Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Scrutiny Select Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and legal implications and recognised that given the continued demands on homelessness services and the need for temporary accommodation, the Borough Council would be unable to continue to manage the temporary accommodation numbers without the service working at maximum efficiency and effectiveness. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)    the Temporary Accommodation and Homelessness Service Review (attached at Annex 1), be noted; and

(2)    the Action Plan (attached at Annex 2), be approved.

This report updates Members on a recent consultancy review of temporary accommodation and homelessness.  A copy of the consultant’s report is provided at Annex 1.  The report also seeks Members’ agreement to an action plan to implement the recommendations from the report.

An update was provided on a recent consultancy review of temporary accommodation and homelessness.  A copy of the consultant’s report was attached at Annex 1.  Agreement was also sought to implement the recommendations set out in the Action Plan, attached at Annex 2.

Members were pleased that significant progress had been made by the Housing Team since the last review and welcomed the reduction of households in temporary accommodation at a time when almost all other local authorities had seen an increase.   The significant progress made on prevention work was highlighted and the Borough Councils temporary accommodation rate per 1,000 households was now below the South East and all England average.

However, it was also reported that given the continued demands on homelessness services and the need for temporary accommodation, the Borough Council would be unable to continue to manage the temporary accommodation numbers without the service working at maximum efficiency and effectiveness.   Members were reassured that due regard would continue to be given to local support networks, caring and educational needs when reviewing cases.

The Action Plan (Annex 2) brought together a number of recommendations to renew focus and practice and to ensure that demand could be managed.   The Committee recognised that if the recommendations detailed in the report were not fully implemented there was a risk that numbers in temporary accommodation would increase more than they would have otherwise thus having a negative impact on the authorities finances. 

Finally, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing recorded appreciation to staff within Housing Services for the significant progress made.

*RECOMMENDED:   That it be commended to Cabinet that

(1)             the Temporary Accommodation and Homelessness Service Review report (attached at Annex 1) be noted; and

(2)             the Action Plan (attached at Annex 2) be approved.

*Recommended to Cabinet