Agenda item

To seek approval of the North Tyneside Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2019-2021

Cabinet considered a report which sought approval for the revised North Tyneside Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2019 – 2021, attached to the report at Appendix 1.

Local Authorities had a statutory requirement under the Homelessness Act 2002 to produce a Homelessness Strategy that must be kept under review and published every five years. This must outline the main causes of homelessness in their area and outline the strategic plans and actions in place to tackle them.  The Housing Strategy covered the period 2017-2021, therefore the Homelessness Prevention Strategy had been developed to cover the period 2019-2021.  This created alignment, enabling a joint review in the future.   

The duty placed on all Local Authorities via the Homelessness Act required them to monitor their Homelessness Strategy together with partners and stakeholders within a local partnership. This was achieved in North Tyneside through the Homelessness Forum, who supported the delivery of homelessness services in line with the Authority’s corporate framework and other local strategies.

The Authority also had a moral duty to tackle homelessness as it could have a detrimental effect on health, well-being and community cohesion, as well as potentially increasing service costs for the Authority. Evidence demonstrated that investment in local homeless prevention services reduced the cost of mainstream homelessness services, which could cut across housing, health, criminal justice and community safety. 

The Authority’s current Homelessness Strategy covered the period 2013 – 2018. The Authority had commenced work on updating the Strategy in 2017, when a consultation exercise had been undertaken. Feedback from this had been collated in early 2018, however the review process had been halted in April 2018 on the publication of the Government’s Homelessness Reduction Act to enable the content of the Act to be assessed and reflected in the updated Strategy.

The review process had ended in late 2018 and an updated Strategy developed which outlined the current picture of homelessness in the Borough. Details of this work and the findings were set out in Appendix 2: Review and Engagement process – Updating North Tyneside Homelessness Prevention Strategy.

The Strategy’s priorities had been identified following engagement and consultation with the Homelessness Forum and a wide range of stakeholders, Elected Members, Council officers, registered housing providers and third sector organisations who supported people when they experienced a ‘housing crisis’. The Authority had listened to service users, i.e. people who had experienced homelessness or who had been affected by homelessness. This had enabled priorities to be set which detailed how the Authority would work in partnership to prevent people becoming homeless and address the causes of homelessness. These strategic priorities were:

·         responding to the recent legislative changes through successful implementation and delivery of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017;

·         ensuring local housing needs were met through both the development of new homes, and efficient allocation of Council stock, prioritising those in need and the most vulnerable;

·         acknowledging the impact of Universal Credit and supporting households to secure and sustain an affordable home; and

·         the provision of effective communication and utilising robust partnership working,

The strategy was supported by a delivery plan which was included within the draft strategy.  This set out the actions that needed to be taken to achieve key objectives. 

Cabinet considered the following decision options: either to approve the Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2019-2021, or alternatively, to not approve the Strategy; or alternatively, request further information to be obtained prior to the Strategy being approved.

Resolved that the North Tyneside Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2019 – 2021, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(Reasons for decision: The Authority is required to formulate and publish a Homelessness Prevention Strategy based on the homelessness review results at least every five years.  Approval of the Strategy will ensure that the Authority has a Homelessness Prevention Strategy in place to deliver key objectives that will contribute to preventing homelessness within the Borough.)