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ANNEX
WORK CURRENTLY UNDERWAY & SUGGESTED ACTIONS
The suggested actions reflect the views expressed during the visits over the last year. With the passage of time, some of the actions which would otherwise have been suggested are already in train. Such 'actions' are listed as 'actions currently underway'.
1. Supply of New Social and Affordable Housing
Actions currently underway
Since the Homelessness Support Project began, the Housing Supply Task Force has been established to examine all the barriers to the provision of housing in Scotland. The remit of the Task Force covers many of the issues which have been raised by councils relating to the lack of supply including planning and infrastructure issues. The Task Force is also considering the specific housing supply difficulties faced by rural and island councils. Accordingly, this report does not include suggested actions on supply as the relevant issues are already being taken forward by the Task Force. The Task Force, which includes representatives from COSLA, will continue to engage with councils, and RSLs, developers and other housing interests to ensure that their concerns relating to supply are taken account of in the task force process.
The Scottish Government continues to fund shared equity packages and the mortgage to rent scheme, but should ensure that these reflect increasing house prices. Rural and island councils are particularly keen that rural home ownership grants continue to be to be available as a shared equity option.
The Scottish Government should ensure (a) that their funding for new housing and RSL new build schemes continues to take account of supply issues affecting costs; and (b) that this funding is maintained at a level which will provide new housing and represent value for money.
Suggested Actions in recommended order of priority
1. The Scottish Government, along with COSLA, ALACHO, SFHA and RSLs should enter into discussions with other national bodies who may have surplus land or property with a view to negotiating preferential rates for its disposal. These organisations could be NHS, MOD and the Forestry Commission. In addition councils should ensure that when disposing of any of their own land first priority is given to the consideration of new housing. This is a vital action if the general shortage of land for affordable housing in certain council areas is to be effectively addressed.
2. It is equally important in areas of acute shortage of housing that councils retain current stock levels. In this respect ALACHO, COSLA and the Scottish Government should enter into discussions with a view to further restrictions in the right to buy than that proposed in Firm Foundations. In addition although revised in 2006, the application of the pressured area status should be further assessed in terms of its impact.
3. The Scottish Government should ensure that Scottish Water's investment programme is sufficiently funded and prioritised to take account of all anticipated strategic infrastructure development to ensure the provision of new housing is not delayed.
2. Temporary Accommodation Issues
Actions currently underway
The Scottish Government should come to a decision on the extensions to the unsuitable accommodation order and inform councils accordingly. In coming to its decision, the Government should take account of (a) the views expressed that the flexibility to place out of area should be retained on the basis of agreed arrangements being in place between the councils concerned to do so and (b) councils support for the removal of the exception for Women's Aid refuges. The Government's decision should include a realistic timescale to implement (b).
The Scottish Government will publish the good practice guidance on temporary accommodation which is currently being prepared. The guidance should include practice examples of working with private landlords and information on how to effectively engage with the private sector.
The Scottish Government has initiated discussions with the UK Government regarding the current impact of reserved benefit issues on Scotland's social reform agenda, including bureaucratic barriers to affordable rented housing. ALACHO, COSLA and the Scottish Government should seek clarification from the Department of Work and Pensions on the housing benefit regulations in relation to private leasing schemes for the provision of temporary accommodation and the circumstances (if any) in which benefit thresholds and caps don't apply. Homelessness Monitoring Group ( HMG) and COSLA should continue to feed into the on going DWP consultation on housing benefit for the private sector to ensure that future caps and thresholds and the local housing allowance allow this sector to be affordable to those on low incomes. In addition adequate safeguards are needed to ensure that those who are vulnerable are still able to have housing benefit paid directly to their landlord.
Suggested Actions in recommended order of priority
For the majority of councils the main issues concern increasing the range and variety of temporary accommodation, accessing all options to provide temporary accommodation and how to efficiently manage the accommodation in the best interest of the client and community.
4. Given the pressure on councils own stock it is extremely important that ALACHO, COSLA and the Scottish Government should discuss with RSLs and the SFHA the varying provision of temporary accommodation throughout Scotland.
5. Problems of supply and access to temporary accommodation are particularly acute in rural and island communities. Therefore ALACHO, COSLA and the Scottish Government should look at ways to assist such councils to compete with the likes
of the tourist industry in securing the provision of temporary accommodation from
the private sector and bed and breakfast where necessary. This should include consideration of (a) the need for private landlord incentive schemes to attract landlords; and (b) whether a forum should be set up to allow discussion between the councils concerned. The purpose of the forum would be to share innovative approaches in sourcing both temporary and bed and breakfast accommodation and to produce a good practice guide in engaging with private landlords. CRISIS could assist with the good practice guide as they have experience in attracting landlords to rent deposit schemes.
6. Community resistance is another factor which many councils have to deal with. ALACHO and COSLA should continue to work with elected members to ensure that they see the homelessness agenda as a priority for their council. They should consider organising local or national events to get the message across, possibly involving SCSH as they have previously provided induction training for councillors. Some councils themselves may already have developed induction/awareness raising packs for elected members. The Scottish Government should disseminate the results of the Scottish Social Attitudes survey and ALACHO, COSLA and the Scottish Government should discuss how to take forward the awareness raising agenda with the general public.
7. The Scottish Government should adjust the Code of Guidance on Homelessness to make it clearer that in some cases longer stays in temporary accommodation can be in the best interests of some clients. Regulation & Inspection would then be able to take these factors into account during inspections.
8. With regard to the 2009 target and the increase in pressure on temporary accommodation as a result, ALACHO and COSLA should encourage and ALACHO should facilitate regional meetings for councils who may wish to explore common methods of extending priority need categories. As all councils have different distances to travel to meet their 2009 target those facing the greatest challenges need to know what their options are.9. In order for councils to access and use temporary accommodation effectively ALACHO, SCSH and Shelter should separately lobby DWP for an ease in the Single Room Rate regulations particularly where it applies to single pregnant women under the age of 25.
10. It is for councils themselves to determine how best to use discretionary housing payments. ALACHO, Directors of Finance and COSLA should raise the awareness of the availability of discretionary housing payments as an additional resource to prevent homelessness and assist homeless clients when moving from temporary to permanent accommodation.11. ALACHO should consider providing guidance and assistance if required to homeless teams to assist them in the bidding process to secure long term homelessness funding, from their councils allocation of funding from the spending review.
12. The Scottish Government should issue clear guidance on the handling of multiple applications to councils if local connection is suspended. The guidance should clarify which council will have the duty to make the assessment. The Scottish Government should also issue guidance to councils on the grounds for applying for reinstatement of local connection.
3. Allocations to Homeless Households
Actions currently underway
Firm Foundations sets out the Scottish Government's future housing policy including the role of RSLs and the Private Rented Sector in addressing housing need. The Scottish Government, together with COSLA and SFHA, should take the opportunity provided by Firm Foundations to review past and current practice of these sectors in meeting the needs of all households seeking safe and secure accommodation.
The Scottish Government will take councils concerns around the operation of Section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 into consideration in the review of Section 5 recently initiated by the Scottish Government Homelessness Division, particularly regarding accountability and transparency of the process.
Suggested Actions in recommended order of priority
13. In the interests of clarity it is very important that the Scottish Government, SFHA and CiH (Scotland) lead a national debate or discussion on how the terms reasonable preference and balanced communities are interpreted and implemented strategically. The debate requires to consider the findings of recent Scottish Government commissioned research on allocations with particular regard to those terms. They cause particular confusion in that they lack precision and are difficult to implement in practice. Issues include how to balance the needs of different reasonable preference groups - a legal requirement which dates from 1966 and has only been subject to limited amendment since; and the criteria by which balance in balanced communities can be defined. It would be helpful to have a much clearer understanding of the objectives of public policy on allocations, including what particular terms mean - and whether they apply to all communities.
14. If 2012 is to be achieved SFHA must encourage RSLs to take a greater role in addressing the needs of homeless households in terms of their contribution to the prevention of homelessness; allocations of housing; provision of temporary accommodation; tenancy sustainment (e.g. Glasgow Housing Association's model); and the provision of housing advice and information. The regulator should continue to focus on these issues when inspecting RSLs.
15. Councils welcome the emphasis placed by the regulator on outcomes for homeless people and consultations should take place with key stakeholders on the nature, aims and objectives of the new regulatory service and the criteria which will apply when inspecting housing and Homelessness services for both councils and RSLs.
16. In the longer term interest of successfully re-settling homeless people into
the community the Scottish Government and Local Government must be more
pro-active and positive in promoting the homelessness agenda and lead in challenging negative attitudes and prejudice towards homeless people.
See Actions 9 & 10 [relating to the Department of Work and Pensions] under Temporary Accommodation Issues address allocations issues also.
Prevention Of Homelessness
Actions currently underway
The Scottish Government is in the process of implementing Section 11 with appropriate guidance.
The guidance by CRISIS on how best to establish and promote Rent Deposit Guarantee schemes and Mediation services has been published. COSLA & ALACHO should work with CRISIS to disseminate the guidance and encourage councils and their partners to use it.
Suggested Actions in recommended order of priority
17. Given the vital role prevention will play in meeting the 2012 target ALACHO, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives ( SOLACE), COSLA and CiH must encourage councils to develop a greater corporate approach to prevention through introduction of procedures such as prevention screening of all policies and practice.
18. Given the importance early intervention has in preventing homelessness it is essential that the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and Community Health Partnerships must ensure people are able to access services they need in order to avoid the types of crises which can result in more acute health and homelessness issues.
19. With regard to councils corporate parenting role the Scottish Government, the Association of Directors of Social Work in Scotland ( ADSWs) along with the Throughcare & Aftercare Forum should review practice regarding the current questionable use of homelessness services by Throughcare & Aftercare for resettlement of Looked After Children ( LAC). The review should have particular regard to current emphasis on what makes for responsible corporate parenting and the 'We can and must do better' agenda within the Scottish Government.
20 SHBVN and CiH should develop guidance and training on prevention on the basis of the Hal Pawson research and the "Prevention Tool-Kit" already developed for ODPM.
21. The Scottish Government and SHBVN should have regard to specific guidance on prevention in rural/island settings where options may be more limited than elsewhere.
22. The Scottish Government's Schools Directorate, Council Education Departments, SCSH and Learning Teaching Scotland should promote and co-ordinate schools based housing and homelessness education programmes.
23. The Scottish Government, SSN and SHBVN should actively promote the Scottish Social Networks Tool-Kit launched in November 2007.
Housing and Wider Forms of Housing support
Actions currently underway
The Scottish Government are considering amending the Interim Accommodation regulations to give councils greater flexibility and are also in the process of following up on previous consultations on Section 7 regulations and implementation.
Suggested Actions in recommended order of priority
24. ALACHO, COSLA and SOLACE should ensure that councillors and senior officers promote effective corporate working across services more rigorously.
25. ALACHO, SOLACE and COSLA should ensure that there are clear criteria by which corporate working can be evaluated in terms of actual services and resources provided by separate agencies and services within the agreed strategic framework.
26. COSLA, the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland should ensure that councils have clear guidance on how councils co-ordinate effective responses to people with multiple and complex needs. A Single Outcome Agreement ( SOA) (see page 6) sets out the outcomes which each council is seeking to achieve with its Community Planning Partnership ( CPP) e.g. NHS. An SOA should reflect local needs, circumstances and priorities, and will be related to the relevant national outcomes agreed in the Concordat. SOAs should assist in harnessing corporate leadership in multi-agency working.
27. COSLA and its member councils along with SCSH and Shelter should take positive measures to address negative attitudes throughout communities towards the provision of specialist or supported accommodation for homeless people. To assist with this the Scottish Government, with support from ALACHO and COSLA, should be more pro-active in promoting and publicising the internationally acclaimed legislation and national policy on homelessness.
28. COSLA, the Scottish Government and Shelter should issue guidance/advice to councils on how to address local antagonism and opposition to homelessness projects and facilities.
29. Councils need to adequately reflect the resource needs of the homelessness service when apportioning Supporting People funding and other funding across councils services to meet 2012. The Concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA (see page 6) underpins the funding arrangements to be provided to local government over the period 2008-09 to 2010-2011. The removal of ring fencing provides a new framework for councils to determine the allocation of their resources to best meet the needs of homeless people while also addressing the issues previously relating to short-term funding and pilot schemes.
30. COSLA and the Scottish Government should reconsider current funding arrangements and timescales to provide greater security, particularly for onward funding of projects and initiatives.
See Action 17 [relating to corporate prevention work] under Prevention of Homelessness addresses Support issues also.
Legislative Change and Guidance
Actions currently underway
As part of the Firm Foundations agenda the Scottish Government is reviewing the role the private rented sector plays in meeting local housing needs.
Suggested actions in response
31. The Scottish Government should: collate and publish examples of effective prevention approaches or schemes; provide guidance on the recording and monitoring of prevention activities; and ensure that there is clear guidance on what prevention is and what will be viewed as gate keeping. This guidance should be agreed by the Scottish Government, ALACHO, COSLA and Regulation & Inspection.
32. The Scottish Government should consult with all interested parties and consider adjusting The Code of Guidance to give a more comprehensive definition of "reasonable to occupy" when determining whether an applicant is homeless.
33. The new administration should advise councils which guidance it intends to publish and set out a timetable for doing so.
Actions 8 & 13 [relating to priority need categories, and reasonable preference] address legislative and guidance issues also.
Monitoring and Support arrangements
Suggested Actions.
34. The Scottish Government should clarify the basis and processes on which it will assess each council's ability to achieve its 2012 target, bearing in mind the multiplicity of factors which need to be considered and the variety of circumstances in which separate councils operate.
35. Elected members and senior council officers should ensure that funding for homelessness and related support services continues to be provided at an appropriate level necessary to achieve 2012.
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