Minutes

Cllr J Watkins asked:

What plans do this Council have in place to support persons suffering homelessness when this Pandemic is over?

How will they be helped into accommodation and with other issues with which they may be dealing?

Is there any Partnership working to assist with the problems associated with Homelessness and if so who are those Partners?

The Leader of the Council responded:

During the pandemic, partnership work was strengthened through multi agency working with the following groups :

-       Police

-       Probation

-       ABUHB (substance misuse and mental health services)

-       NCC (Housing/ Housing Support Grant/ Environmental health/ connected communities)

-       Public Health Wales

-       3^rd sector (Pobl)

-       Charities and humanitarian groups (Wallich, Eden Gate)

Homelessness outreach services have been developed to ensure that those owed a statutory homeless duty and those rough sleeping have rapid access to accommodation, mental health support and substance misuse services. 

Welsh Government phase 2 revenue funding has been secured and facilitates:

-       Development of a floating support team, who provide critical time intervention to rough sleepers. 

-       An assertive outreach within GDAS to provide access to substance misuse services and treatment programmes. 

-       A psychological intervention service via ABUHB to provide Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to increase coping strategies and build resilience among those homeless. 

-       A review of services, gaps and delivery of serviced to include weekends and evenings.

NCC have worked closely with Pobl to deliver Housing First support to rough sleepers.

We have also liaised RSL’s and Housing Benefit to prevent court action and potential eviction due to rent arrears.

Rapid rehousing protocols have been developed with RSL partners to increase offers of social housing properties to homeless households.

WG phase 2 capital funding has enabled 5 housing projects to be proposed which will provide 40 units of single person accommodation.  These schemes should start to come online in the next few weeks.

Supported housing projects have been proposed for young people and those with complex needs and Private Rented Sector strategies are being developed to increase move on. 

The allocations policy is being reviewed to ensure those accommodated during the pandemic are prioritised for social housing.

There is a great deal of partnership working taking place and will continue to do so.  Extra accommodation is continually being sought and secured to ensure that this group of individuals have access to accommodation and support.