Councillor Terry Hale, Cabinet Member for Community, presented report PH.119, and
said that Homelessness Prevention Strategy for the Forest of
Dean had been considered by the Cabinet Housing Support Group on
two separate occasions before being presented to this meeting for
formal approval.
Councillor Hale said that the Homelessness
Prevention Strategy was an overview of how the council had managed
homelessness in the district over the past decade; what had worked
well; what could be improved and what immediate and medium
challenges the council was likely to face in the future.
He said that, during this time, the Housing
Options Team had successfully prevented many households from
becoming homeless and had prevented housing problems developing
into serious issues by providing a more efficient service, which in
the long term, would help save the council money.
He said that, despite the increasing trend
elsewhere in the country, the number of homelessness applications
in the district had continued to fall. It was unlikely, however,
that the district would be immune from other housing problems,
which had become increasingly apparent and were largely due to the
continuing economic uncertainty and recent changes in welfare
benefits, which might affect a number of families in the
district.
Responding to a question from Councillor Diana
Edwards, Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships and Special
Projects, Councillor Hale said that the Government’s Discretionary
Housing Payment had increased significantly during the past 4 years
from £15,039 in 2009/10 to £44,888 in 2012/13.
At a meeting on 2 May 2012, the Cabinet
Housing Support Group had said that it would like to add some
additional wording to the action plan on page 66 of the agenda, in
recognition of the need to retain safe accommodation in the
district for women escaping domestic abuse following the
introduction of the new Supporting People Domestic Abuse Contract.
Action 9 of the plan was subsequently amended to include the
following wording; “and to ensure that there are sufficient
bed-spaces in safe accommodation within the district for those that
need it’. Councillor Bernie O’Neill, (who had asked a question at
the council meeting on 26 April 2012 on this issue), said that he
was pleased with the amendment, but nevertheless continued to urge
the council to consider investigating issues relating to the
ownership of the Forest of Dean Women’s Refuge. Councillor Hale
said that he would investigate the matter.
Strategic Housing Manager, Malcom Vine, said
that the Gloucestershire Homeseeker, (Choice Based Lettings),
System had been very successful in that it had allowed some
households to resolve their housing problems before they had
deteriorated into a crisis. Responding to member questions, the
housing manager said that there was very little evidence of cross
boundary activity in the district and that work continued on
measures to prevent people from having to sleep rough. In response
to a question from Councillor Jane Horne, about the number of empty
homes in the district, the housing manager said that there were
some empty homes in the district, but that a significant number of
them were not suitable for use. He was, however, pleased to
announce that a successful bid for government funding by the
Marches Housing Association had allowed them to take on more empty
properties in the district. In response to the more specific
questions at the meeting, members were advised to contact the
Strategic Housing Manager direct, or a member of his team, after
the meeting.
Cabinet members commended the Strategic
Housing Manager and his team on their continued hard work and said
that the service they were providing was excellent. Cabinet noted
report PH.119 and,
RESOLVED to adopt the Forest
of Dean District Homelessness Strategy
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