COMMMENTS ON RMBC HOMELESSNESS
REVIEW INTERIM REPORT
FROM ‘CHILL-OUT’
- Overall, the Interim Report (IR) is very good, far reaching and well researched. As it admits, some data is missing but the breadth and depth covered are comprehensive and welcome and we see little to disagree with.
- We think that an expansion of the Homelessness Forum is needed and should ideally be attended by a representative from RMBC to improve effectiveness, act as a link, provide feedback and encourage an effective, targeted range of services.
- The B&B arrangements are clearly almost wholly unfit for purpose and should only be used as a last resource and only for clients who do not need additional support for addiction problems and mental health issues. In addition, these should never be sited outside the borough unless there are safety issues involved.
- Any increased use of private sector landlords should go hand in hand with a licensing scheme to ensure that standards are met and to prevent abuses.
- The relationship with RBH should be strengthened to reduce homelessness taking place.
- The lack or failure of the tracking system should be addressed immediately.
- A directory of services should be drawn up as promised months ago and widely circulated together with clear pathways in the form of ‘flow-charts’ for those wishing to access services or refer clients.
- The telephone helpline number is still not widely known by agencies and those who come into contact with homeless people. This number should be widely circulated. A free telephone which is easily accessible should be available in each township. There should also be helpful and caring personnel available to help those who lack telephone skills
- More fiscal resources need to be allocated immediately to address some of these issues. Whilst we accept the need to operate within tight financial constraint, it is unrealistic to provide an effective level of service against a background of increasing service demand on the scale outlined in the IR. This is particularly vital prior to the changes to the welfare system which will make the situation even worse to an extent that cannot yet be accurately predicted.
- Still too much money is spent on non-essentials by RMBC such as the Feelgood Festival and ‘celebrity events’ with little or few financial returns. The council needs to see the homelessness issue as being an essential service and allocate funding accordingly. This would be real evidence of a caring culture.
- Re the “lack of confidence in the Council‘s commitment and ability to reasonably consider future impacts and carry out reasonable impact assessments.” This needs to be addressed immediately. The council exacerbated this situation and despite hard work done on the ground by Cllr’s Linden & Hornby, the council as a corporate body need to consider allocation of additional resources as a matter of urgency.
- The development of a short term, probable hostel-based emergency accommodation service should be a priority. Whilst we cannot reinvent Providence House, we must remember that it fulfilled an urgent and increasing need and that its closure has had a major, negative impact on the town and some of its most vulnerable citizens
- Many charities and voluntary organisations complain bitterly in private about the cuts in their funding and the perception that because they are heavily ‘subsidised’ by free, volunteer labour, it is expected that they can operate on minimal and zero funding. They also say that they cannot speak out ‘officially’ in case they put existing funding at risk. RMBC need to strengthen their relationships with these bodies and participate fully in the Homelessness Forum.
- All changes in service must be accompanied by a robust monitoring and tracking system in order to monitor effectiveness, identify problems at an early stage and add tweaks as and when they are needed.
Conclusion
Prevention
is always far better than cure and although homelessness with never be
eradicated completely, it would be useful to set targets on which success or
failure of any strategies can be judged.
Still
far too many people are being made homeless unnecessarily and anecdotal
evidence from RBH tenants strongly indicates that early advice and assistance
for those experiencing difficulties is either not happening or is happening far
too late when the situation has passed ‘tipping-point’.
Many
exciting and long-awaited improvements are planned for the borough over the
next few years; Metrolink, Shopping Centre, river-reopening etc. It is
difficult to see how these will fully benefit the wider community against the
background of a failing economy with close to zero-growth and associated social
deprivation of which homelessness is its sharpest and unacceptable edge.
We
still feel that the cuts that led to this situation were ill-advised and were
made with little or no consultation with service-users or supporting agencies
whose knowledge, experience, skills and insight were effectively bypassed in
the cause of expediency. It is essential that the council has access to this
expertise and accesses them before making any future decision-making that will
impact upon them.
It
is a problem that we need to tackle head on.
Shirley
Kennedy & Pete Hinchliffe
Co-organisers,
‘Chill-Out’ campaign
