This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Homelessness Monitoring Group annual report
29/01/2004
The first annual report from a group that assesses
progress in tackling homelessness was published today.
The Homelessness Monitoring Group says that priorities
for the next phase of delivery for organisations working
with homeless people include:
• Promoting culture change and joined up working
• Assessing housing supply and quality of provision
• Further implementation of legislation
• Monitoring of the Glasgow hostels decommissioning
programme
• Ensuring rigorous information systems are adopted
and good practice shared
Communities Minister Margaret Curran said that
significant progress has been made towards ensuring that
permanent homes for all unintentionally homeless people
become a reality by 2012.
Speaking at a Shelter conference in Glasgow, Ms Curran
welcomed the Group's findings and commended people working
in front-line services. She emphasised that much more work
still had to be done. She said:
"Homeless people have more rights than ever before and
naturally this has put pressure on front line services.
Numbers have increased because people are demanding, quite
rightly, the housing and support services they deserve. We
have committed £127 million to take this work forward.
"Local authorities are working to deliver services and
to implement their homelessness strategies with local
partners. Inspectors from Communities Scotland are
assessing how the services are being delivered so that
councils can be supported to make improvements where
necessary.
"No one should be under any illusion that homelessness
will be eradicated overnight. These are long term goals but
already our policies are making a real difference to
transform people's lives."
Recent statistics showing a rise in the number of
families in temporary accommodation prompted ministers to
take action. A fact-finding consultation with relevant
bodies, such as councils, Shelter and service users, will
begin tomorrow (30 January).
The aim is to find out whether there are any types of
accommodation being used that should be considered
unsuitable for families with children. It will investigate
the circumstances under which B&Bs may be acceptable,
whether a time limit should apply to their use or whether
they should be banned.
Margaret Curran said:
"I am particularly interested in regulating the use of
B&Bs for homeless people with children, to ensure that
accommodation provided is appropriate to the circumstances.
We need to clarify from homeless people themselves, and
from those working day in, day out to deliver services how
this can best be addressed."
New orders on the 30 January, linked to the rollout of
the homelessness legislation, will expand the categories of
people considered to have a priority need for housing. This
means that young people, or anyone at risk of violence or
harassment as a result of religion, sexual orientation,
race or ethnic origin will be deemed vulnerable and be
given priority status and be entitled to permanent
accommodation.
This represents the first step towards the Executive's
target to provide permanent accommodation to all households
assessed as unintentionally homeless by 2012.
Members of the group include representatives from CoSLA,
Communities Scotland, Scottish Council for Single Homeless,
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, Shelter
Scotland, University of York Housing Policy Department and
the Scottish Executive.
The first commencement order under the Homelessness etc
(Scotland) Act 2003, will bring six sections of the act
into force on the 30 January. Ministers will then have the
power to define temporary accommodation which is unsuitable
for homeless households.
Margaret Curran was speaking in Glasgow at Shelter
Scotland's 'Putting Plans into Action: Homelessness
Practice and the First HMG Annual Report' conference.