Issue - meetings

The Chair of the Homelessness Short, Sharp Review, Councillor Nina Wood-Ford, presented the group’s final report.  In doing so she highlighted the evidence that had been gathered from a range of sources during the course of the review and the conclusions that had been reached by the group in respect of homelessness in the Borough.  Reference was also made to the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting from 7^th September when the report had been considered and Members had endorsed all of the recommendations.

Following presentation of the report Members welcomed the group’s findings.  The position of rough sleepers in the Borough was briefly debated.  Councillor Wood-Ford explained that the group had been advised that all of the rough sleepers had either been offered accommodation or already had access to accommodation but were choosing to remain where they were.  The group had found that there was a particular difficulty for single men aged over 40 with substance abuse problems securing appropriate accommodation.  These people often struggled to access accommodation because generally housing providers required them to address their problems with substance abuse before they could move into a property.  Housing First could help to address this by providing people in this situation with accommodation and addressing their needs once they had moved into the property.

RESOLVED that

1)        Redditch Borough Council should take part in any opportunity to deliver Housing First in properties in the Borough.  This should include applying to participate in any Housing First pilot schemes operated by the West Midlands Combined Authority;

2)        the Leader of the Council should write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Rt. Hon. David Gauke MP, urging him to end the freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates; and

3)        the Council’s Communications and Arts and Events teams should notify the CAB of any forthcoming events in Redditch which they could attend to promote their services and heighten awareness of their services in the Borough.