Agenda item - Support Service for People in Temporary Accommodation

Report of Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing (copy attached).

That the Housing and New Homes Committee:

(1)  Notes the contents of the report and recommends to Policy, Resource & Growth Committee that £0.250m is added to the council’s 2019/20 budget proposals in order to expand the options for providing support for people in emergency and temporary accommodation for one year only.

(2)  Delegates to the Executive Director of Housing the decision to determine the most appropriate option to achieve a support service within the £0.250m budget, if approved.

(3)  That the operation of the support provided to people in emergency and temporary accommodation is reported back to Housing and New Homes Committee with service recommendations for 2020/21 and beyond.  

53.1   The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing which reminded members that in November the Committee requested that officers look at how they could build on the support work that the Welfare Officers had been providing to help vulnerable homeless people living in temporary and emergency accommodation, both within the city and out of the city. Officers were also asked to look at innovative ways the council could work to support applicants and homeless people through the application and assessment procedure.  The report was presented by the Head of Housing Needs accompanied by the Housing Options Manager.

53.2   Councillor Gibson set out the following amendment which was seconded by Councillor Phillips.  

To amend recommendation 2.1 and add recommendations 2.3 and 2.4 as shown below in bold italics

2.1 Notes the contents of the report and recommends to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that £0.250m is added to the council’s 2019/20 budget proposals in order to expand the options for providing support for people in emergency and temporary accommodation for one year only.

2.2 Delegates to the Executive Director of Housing the decision to determine the most appropriate option to achieve a support service within the £0.250m budget, if approved.

2.3 Notes that some of the £0.250m budget may be used to fund travel cost support for those people living out of city who officers identify would benefit: for example, for accessing travel to friends and relatives, travel to laundry and other services away from their accommodation.

2.4 That the operation of the support provided to people in emergency and temporary accommodation is reported back to Housing and New Homes with service recommendations for 2020/21 and beyond.

53.3   Councillor Gibson welcomed the report and the recognition of the need for support to people in emergency accommodation. He stressed that the report alerted members to the danger of cutting emergency services and welcomed the additional funding identified.

53.4   Councillor Gibson spoke to his amendment. Currently recommendation 2.1 referred to one year only in relation to expanding the options for providing support for people in emergency and temporary accommodation. He considered that this was misleading as it was clear this was not the intention. The second part of the amendment (2.3) was asking the Committee to make sure that support for travel costs was considered. The reference to travel to laundry services was discussed in the report on “Support for People Accommodated at Kendal Court” on page 75 of the agenda.  That report also referred to the isolation and loneliness experienced by people living at Kendal Court (page 71 of the agenda). The amendment would allow officers to offer help through the budget being created to combat isolation and loneliness. 

53.5   Councillor Mears stated that Councillor Gibson’s amendment strayed into the next report on the agenda. With regard to the amendment in 2.1 it was important for the recommendation to state “for one year” to enable the Committee to review this matter again. It was not known at this point if more money would be needed in future. Councillor Mears considered that the support service was a really good initiative and stated that the Conservative Group would support the recommendations in the report and would not support the amendments.

53.6   Councillor Bell referred to the Green Group amendment 2.3. He stressed the need to think about equalities issues as there were people living inside the city who needed to have their travel funded.  He raised a question about paragraph 3.8 of the report in relation to the Welfare Officers. The Head of Housing Needs explained that the Housing Support Service ended in September 2015. Welfare Officers were introduced a year ago with grant funding.

53.7   Councillor Cattell raised a question about the budget in 2015 in relation to the Housing Support Service. The Head of Housing Needs explained that the budget for the service was cut in the part year 2015/16 and 2016/17. It was confirmed that this was under the previous administration.

53.8   Councillor Phillips responded to questions raised. The Kendal Court report had been referred to as it was temporary accommodation. “One year only” as stated in recommendation 2.1 read as if the funding would not continue.  In relation to travel charges, Councillor Phillips stressed that people who lived in the city would be more likely to have a network of support. People living outside the city were more likely to be vulnerable and isolated.

53.9   Councillor Gibson stated that his amendments were helpful and not contentious. He requested that each part of the amendment was voted on separately.

53.10  At this point the Committee voted on the amendments outlined in paragraph 53.2 above.

53.11  Members voted on the amendments as follows. 2.1 was not agreed. 2 voted for the amendment and 8 voted against.  2.3 was not agreed. 2 voted for the amendment and 8 voted against. 2.4 was agreed unanimously.

53.12            Members voted on the substantive recommendations as amended which were agreed unanimously.

53.13  RESOLVED:-

That the Housing and New Homes Committee:

(1)            Notes the contents of the report and recommends to Policy, Resource & Growth Committee that £0.250m is added to the council’s 2019/20 budget proposals in order to expand the options for providing support for people in emergency and temporary accommodation for one year only.

(2)            Delegates to the Executive Director of Housing the decision to determine the most appropriate option to achieve a support service within the £0.250m budget, if approved.  

(3)            That the operation of the support provided to people in emergency and temporary accommodation is reported back to Housing and New Homes Committee with service recommendations for 2020/21 and beyond.