Issue - meetings

    Report by Executive Director Alistair Cunningham OBE.

Cllr Richard Clewer introduced a Homeless Strategy, proposed to support the Homeless Reduction Act 2019, which placed new duties on the council. The Strategy was to focus on prevention and assisting households to find affordable and sustainable housing solutions. The Cabinet Member expressed his thanks to the Scrutiny Task Group for their input into the development of Strategy, and highlighted that all scrutiny recommendations had been accepted. The 5 priorities of the strategy, as set out in the report, where presented.

Cllr John Smale, Chair of the Environment Select Committee, updated the committee was happy to endorse the recommendations of the Task Group, and noted rough sleeping had reduced in Wiltshire. The Task Group also commented on the passion and dedication of officers supporting homeless reduction.

Cllr Ian Thorn, questioned whether former military personnel were considered in the Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA), and it was confirmed this was the case.

All Wiltshire Councillors were invited to speak, Cllr King spoke highly of the work of the Task Group and the reassurances he had received that officers were committed to prevention. In response to a question about the RAG status of the action plan, it was confirmed that work would be started on actions, once the Strategy had been approved. It was also established that overall homelessness was reducing, and was a wider issue than rough sleeping, and the council was working closely with the military to reduce homelessness within this group.

Resolved:

To recommend to Full Council the approval of the Homeless Strategy 2019-24 and implementation of the Homeless Strategy Action Plan.

Reason for decision:

It is a legal requirement imposed upon all local authorities by the Homelessness Act 2002 that a homeless strategy is produced. It also encourages the continued partnership working with other statutory bodies and voluntary sectors whose work helps prevent homelessness or meet the needs of people who have experienced homelessness.