Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of People

Further to Minute 14/15, the Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of People which indicated that the City Council commissions a number of support services for people in housing crisis. These include homelessness services for Adults, support to families with children in need including those with No Recourse to Public Funds, and Supported Accommodation for people aged 16-24. I addition to these support services, the City Council works with the private rented market and Registered Social Landlords to ensure that housing options are available for people who would otherwise be homeless.

There are also homeless charities in the City that provide independent support and sometimes accommodation to people who are homeless outside of the provisions of a City Council funding arrangement.

Despite these arrangements being in place, there is not always capacity in the available services, where this is the case, and on an emergency Bed and Breakfast accommodation is used in order to meet the City council’s statutory responsibilities for homelessness.

Recognising that Bed and Breakfast is not ideal accommodation, the City Council is committed to reducing its use, and should Bed and Breakfast be required, it is only used in exceptional emergency situations where clear action plans are in place to limit the duration of stay.

 To monitor and ensure exit plans are managed and progressed, an Emergency Accommodation Panel will be established to be chaired by the Head of Housing and consisting of representatives from the Placements Team, Route 21 and Children’s Social Work. The Panel will meet monthly and provide strategic and operational oversight of the City Council’s use of Bed and Breakfast accommodation and monitor the exit plans for all vulnerable people, families and young people placed in emergency accommodation, including Bed and Breakfast.

In order to emphasise the City Council’s commitment to reducing its use of Bed and Breakfast accommodation, the report proposed that the City Council should sign-up to Barnados’ “Beyond Care” pledge to demonstrate its commitment to providing appropriate support to care leavers. :-

“I support Barnados’ “Beyond Care” campaign. I will work to make sure that our local authority takes the necessary steps so that care leavers in our area have better accommodation and support”

The Cabinet Member questioned officers on aspects of the report including the length of time that Bed and Breakfast accommodation can be used; and the current number of people in Bed and Breakfast accommodation in the City; work with voluntary organisations to provide alternative emergency accommodation; comparisons and benchmarking with other local authorities in relation to their use of Bed and Breakfast accommodation; and information relating to those families with No Recourse to Public Funds.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People:-

(1)  Approves that the City Council signs up to the Barnados’ “Beyond Care” campaign to demonstrate its commitment to providing appropriate support to care leavers.

(2)  Approves the establishment of an Emergency Accommodation Panel to provide oversight of Young people, families or vulnerable people placed in emergency accommodation.

(3)  Requires that all young people aged under 18 and covered by the provisions of the Children Act accommodated in bed and breakfast accommodation for a period in excess of 2 days are reported to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People on a quarterly basis.

(4)  Requests that officers undertake a feasibility study regarding the impacts, costs, benefits and deliverability of adopting a policy of limiting the use of Bed and Breakfast and Emergency accommodation by the City Council to a set period of time, with a view to submitting a report to Cabinet containing recommendations for consideration in due course.

(5)  That officers be requested to provide the Cabinet Member with an update in relation to those families with No Recourse to Public Funds.