Issue - meetings

This item was Chaired by Councillor Mike Todd-Jones

 

Matter for Decision

The report provided an overview on the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act.

 

The report also outlined the following:

·        The financial support available to local authorities to support the wider statutory responsibilities created by the Act

·        The anticipated additional resource requirements for the Housing Advice Service and the rationale for assessing these

·        New initiatives that the Council has, or is proposing to, put in place to support its new range of statutory responsibilities

·         The Homelessness prevention grants programme for 2018-19

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

     i.        Noted the new provisions within the Homelessness Reduction Act and, in particular, the extended range of statutory homelessness duties the Council is obliged to perform under the new Act.

    ii.        Agreed, subject to any changes that may be made as part of the budget setting process and the formal adoption of the 2018/19 budget by Council, to support a budget bid for additional staffing resources as set out in paragraphs 3.19 to 3.23 of the Officer’s report.

   iii.        Approved the proposals outlined in this report for expenditure from the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant as outlined in paragraph 3.23 and that any funds carried forward from this grant can be allocated under delegated authority to the Head of Revenues and Benefits, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Housing.

  iv.        Approved, subject to any changes that may be made as part of the budget setting process and the formal adoption of the 2018/19 budget by Council, the proposed homelessness prevention grant funding allocations as outlined in appendix 3 of the Officer’s report and agreed to delegate authority for decisions around spending the unallocated funds of £14,358 to the Head of Revenues and Benefits in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Housing.

   v.        Delegated authority to the Head of Revenues and Benefits, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Housing, to determine expenditure from the Government’s ‘new burdens’ funding allocation to this local authority, once received later in the autumn.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Housing Advice Service Manager.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

     i.        Sought clarification regarding the position of existing service users.

    ii.        Suggested that the six month safety net was not long enough and would result in a revolving door of repeat applications.

 

The Housing Advice Service Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

     i.        Those already in the system could continue under existing rules or choose to withdraw and re-apply under the new system.

    ii.        The provisions required applicants to engage with the service.

   iii.        Applicants were not limited regarding the number of times they could apply but circumstances must have changed.

  iv.        There would be many partnership options for discharging the duty to assist.

   v.        Intentionality was not an issue in the initial stages of the process. The pilot scheme had found that the higher levels of support available had resulted in a much lower levels of finding of intentionality.

  vi.        A bid had been submitted to the General Fund for additional staffing costs to cover six additional posts.    

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.