Agenda item

This report provides a high-level summary for the Policy and Accountability Committee on rough sleeping and homelessness.

Alice Hainsworth (Head of Homelessness Prevention and Assessment) presented the report which provided a high-level summary for the Committee on rough sleeping and homelessness. She highlighted the Housing First model, first introduced in the United States some 8 to 9 years ago, that had proven to be the most sustainable method of ensuring former rough sleepers did not return to the street. She noted that a range of services were in place to help prevent rough sleeping and support people to recover and move away from the streets for good. She informed the Committee that at any one time, the number of rough sleepers in the Borough was approximately 5 to 7 people which was low for an inner-London Borough.

Councillor Sally Taylor referred to the success of the work to improve rough sleeping at Shepherds Bush Green last year and asked if similar activities would be held around there this year.

Lucy Baker (Prevention and Rough Sleeping Commissioning Manager) noted that unlike last summer when more people slept out on the Green due to the exceptionally hot weather, only one person was found sleeping out on Shepherds Bush Green in July this year. The Homelessness Prevention and Assessment team would continue tackling rough sleeping through a range of support options and work with the Council’s enforcement team in a multi-disciplinary way. The team attended monthly meetings with the Shepherd’s Bush Green Action Forum, discussing matters relating to the street population and anti-social behaviour in partnership with local residents and the police.

Councillor Adronie Alford asked about the reasons for rough sleeping and the potential for relapsing. Roy Morgan (Assistant Director of Housing Management) noted that it was rare for people who had stayed in temporary accommodation to be referred to the service again. Officers said rough sleepers often faced family or personal challenges – or had fallen victim to external circumstances like being evicted by their landlord.  

Noting that the number of households living in temporary accommodation in England had recently hit a 25-year high, the Chair expressed concern about the impact to the Council and its ability to respond to the increasing demand. Roy Morgan said so far in H&F there was only a small increase in the number of people arriving at the front door, however he agreed that more substantial increases in the number of rough sleepers would have an impact on the Council’s budget and agreed to provide an update on the numbers at the next meeting.

ACTION: Roy Morgan

Question from the floor

Adam Bulewski (St Mungo’s United Rep) addressed the Committee and referred to recent industrial action at St Mungo’s (a homelessness charity) that had taken place due to pay disputes. He highlighted the pay disparity between the senior management and frontline workers and said it had made it difficult to retain experienced staff. St Mungo’s had a contract with the Council to provide support for homeless people in H&F so he hoped the Committee could look into the matter and intervene.

Councillor Paul Alexander thanked Adam Bulewski for bringing up the matter and said the Committee would look at this more closely as the industrial strike might affect the Council’s delivery of homelessness prevention services.

Richard Shwe said he understood the issue and undertook to discuss the matter with Adam Bulewski further outside the meeting.

ACTION: Richard Shwe

Summing up, the Chair reiterated her request for the team to report on the impact of an increasing number of homeless households and placements into temporary accommodation on the Council’s budget at the next meeting.

ACTION: Roy Morgan

RESOLVED

That the Committee noted the report.