Agenda item

To consider and comment on a report on homelessness, following discussions at the Committee’s July 2021 meeting.

Councillor T Grogan left the meeting at this point and did not return.

The Committee were asked to consider and comment on a report about homelessness in the district, presented by the Private Sector Housing Officer and Housing Options Supervisor.

Members noted that Homelessness came to the attention of the Policy Review Committee following an update on Universal Credit (UC) which was discussed at its meeting in July 2021. There had been a national rise in the number of people claiming Universal Credit, which had also been seen in Selby i.e., in October 2020 there were 4,131 claimants in the Selby area, whilst the latest figures in April 2021 showed 5,626 claimants.

Officers explained that measures to help with the economic impacts of COVID-19 were received by the Council (a hardship fund, which in 2020/21 was used to help 2,300 claimants). However, the government’s additional uplift for UC claimants was now coming to an end, along with many other support schemes, and it was therefore important to consider the impact of this on residents. This could include increasing debt, potential evictions, reduced funding assistance and general conditions which could exasperate the plight of those close to homelessness or already experiencing it.

The Committee asked a number of questions of Officers, starting with how the Council got to know about rough sleepers in the district and how many there were currently. Officers explained that various sources were used, including notification by the public and the Streetlink service. The Homelessness Team would go out to try and find the person the same day in order to offer assistance. There was one rough sleeper in the district at present that the team knew of, with the annual estimated number (calculated on a single night in November each year) being around five.  

Members noted that there had been an increase in requests for housing due to landlord evictions; the temporary suspension of bailiffs had been good, but it had also given a false sense of security, as the notice periods for evictions was back to two months.

The team produced personalised homelessness plans for those that needed it and had emergency accommodation that could be accessed if required; the district’s thriving private rented sector was crucial in providing such accommodation. The majority of people needing to access emergency accommodation in the pandemic were in private sector homes.

Members praised the Homelessness Action Plan and asked how those people at risk of homelessness became aware of the services they could access to help them. Officers explained that to ensure the information was out there the team did a great deal of partnership working, produced leaflets for inclusion in foodbank parcels, worked with the Citizens Advice Bureau and other voluntary agencies and lastly through direct customer contact.

The Committee were very impressed with the work of the team and how committed they were to what they did. Members expressed concern that in the next few months there would be a very difficult crisis period when support offered during the pandemic over the past year would cease; Officers were asked if there was a way through the potential upcoming problems which were a national issue. Officers responded by assuring Members that whilst it may be difficult, there were a number of systems in place to help families and individuals who may be at risk of homelessness, and that it was acknowledged that families were often more vulnerable. However, whilst the support structure was there, the need for committed funding was key; some government initiatives were capital initiatives without a return. It was essential for the service not to be diluted and for the focus on the work of the team to be maintained, alongside strong adult, social care and mental health teams.

The Committee accepted that the team did struggle to assist some people, but that they were doing their best to help. The resettlement of refugees from Afghanistan was a very current issue, and Members asked if this would affect the Selby district. Officers confirmed that two families were being housed in the district at present, and the Council had committed to take a number of Afghans as it did with Syrian refugees a few years ago. All local authorities had been asked to take more if they could, and Selby would be taking in three more families in September/October.

Members thanked Officers for their report and their attendance at the meeting and praised them for the good work they were doing for vulnerable people in the district.

RESOLVED:

                        The Policy Review Committee noted the report.