Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – Housing and Revenues

The Assistant Director Housing and Revenues submitted a report (previously circulated) updating Members on the progress against the Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and the homeless services provision during 2022.

It was reported since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council had continued to deal with a significant increase in demand for Homeless and Housing Options services; the lifting of the ban on section 21 (“no fault”) evictions in June 2021 also created an increase in homeless presentations and requests for housing advice; there had been a 23 per cent increase in presentations to the Housing Options in 2021-22 when compare to the previous year; and that 14 per cent of all presentations in the first two quarters of 2022-23 were as a result of section 21 notices.

It was also reported that in 2021-22, 281 households were placed in temporary accommodation, compared to 230 for the previous year, an increase of 22 percent; and that demand had continued to increase with 178 households placed in emergency accommodation for the first two quarters in 2022-23.

Details were provided on length of stay in emergency accommodation; in 2021-22 there were 3697 nights spent in emergency accommodation, a 10 per cent decrease when compared to the previous year; however the first two quarters of 2023-23 had seen a sharp increase with 3263 nights spent in emergency accommodation.

Members noted the ongoing challenge in finding accommodation and support for individuals with complex needs; details were provided of the achievements in the past 18 months; that despite the significant challenges, everyone in need of emergency accommodation had been provided somewhere to stay, and most of the people placed in emergency accommodation had now been moved to more permanent housing.

It was reported that Darlington’s Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2019-2024 was approved by Cabinet on 9 July 2019; the strategy consisted of four main sections to satisfy the requirements of Section 1(1) of the Homelessness Act 2002; and reference was made to the five key supporting objectives to the Strategy.

The progress on the strategy’s action plan was monitored through the multi-agency Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Forum; and Members noted that of the 28 actions in the strategy, all had either been completed or remained ongoing due to continuing demands on services.

Reference was made to the new ‘’Ending Rough Sleeping for Good’’ strategy that was published by the Government in September 2022; and it was recommended that the actions contained within the Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy be refreshed for 2023-24 in light of the new strategy, the existing pressures on the Homeless and Housing Options services and as the actions were developed pre-covid and had either been successfully completed or delivered on an ongoing basis.

RESOLVED ­– a) That the contents of the report be noted.

(b) That this Scrutiny Committee agrees to a review and refresh of the Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy action plan for 2023-24, in accordance with paragraphs 23 to 24 of the main report.

(c) That the refreshed Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy action plan be brought to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Committee.