Homelessness Setting the Scene

1
Homelessness Setting the Scene

• Tracy Hendren
• Housing Operations Manager
• West Berkshire Council
• Resetting the agenda for the Homelessness
  Strategy in line with current targets and
  priorities.

2
Government Targets How are we performing

• Government Targets for Temporary Accommodation-
• 50 reduction by 2010 - Achieved
• Government Targets for Bed and Breakfast
• No Families in Bed and Breakfast for 6 weeks or
  more - Achieved
• Government Targets to Prevent Homelessness
• Qtr 1 Homeless Applications 5 Homeless
  Prevented 19
• Qtr 2 Homeless Applications 5 Homeless Prevented
  55
• Qtr 3 Homeless Applications 7 Homeless Prevented
  73

3
Partnership Working

• Vulnerable Persons Protocol Jane Kidd and
  Richard Collins
• Service Level Agreements
• BWA Support Worker
• Resolve - Mediation
• Two Saints Rough Sleepers
• Provision of Accommodation
• YMCA Newtown Road
• Common Housing Register
• RSL Partners
• Sovereign Joint Administration

4
Choice Based Lettings - Background

• Requirement for all LAs to implement Choice
  Based Lettings by 2010
• West Berkshire on target for implementation by
  May 2007
• Working in Partnership with all 15 RSLs in West
  Berkshire
• Common Housing Register is now solely
  administered by West Berkshire
• RSLs focusing on Advertising and Letting of all
  vacant properties in District through CBL

5
Choice Based Lettings - Implementation

• Genuine Choice, Transparency and Feedback
• Managing Expectations
• Timescales
• Properties Available
• Training
• Staff buy in 19th March (pm), 20th March (am)
• Third Party Bidding
• Friends, Family, Support Workers

6
Modernising the Service

• WBC has changed its working practices to address
  the prevention agenda
• Traditional Homelessness Officer Now Housing
  Options Officer
• Duty System ownership of cases
• Frontline Service Face to face contact
• Off-site Surgeries

7
Further Developments

• Threshold Loan
• Shared Ownership Promotion
• Extending Support Workers role
• Investment and support to Travellers Site
• Strategic role Providing more affordable
  housing On Target for South East Plan Amounts
  184 provided - 190

8
Any Questions

• Tracy Hendren Housing Operations Manager
• 01635 519364
• Thendren_at_westberks.gov.uk