City of York Council’s Executive Committee will discuss a new 5-year homeless strategy on 21st June.
The strategy outlines the council’s response to their extended responsibilities as laid out in new legislation. The main aims of the strategy include:
- To eliminate rough sleeping by 2027
- To improve the provision of information and services in line with the 2017 Homeless Reduction Act
- To ensure the availability of accommodation and support for homeless people
Additional outreach support and accommodation for rough sleepers with complex needs will be provided using an MHCLG grant of nearly £200k. This will help keep more rough sleepers safer by persuading more of them into hostels and resettlement programmes.
In 2016 the City of York Council became only the third local authority in the country to receive the government’s ‘Gold Standard’ for their work to prevent homelessness. The council currently have the fewest homeless households in York than there have been in the last 15 years, but we recognise there is always more to be done.
The council’s priorities as laid out in the strategy include:
- Ensuring a comprehensive resettlement programme for homeless families
- Continuing to develop clear housing pathways and support for groups such as those leaving prison or hospital
- Tackling health issues which lead to homelessness with council partners
Conservative councillor Helen Douglas, executive member for housing and safer neighbourhoods said: “Our continued focus on prevention is imperative and by working together with our partners in health and social care to provide ever better advice, support and help, we aim to continue preventing homelessness whenever we can.
“We take the issue of rough sleeping in York extremely seriously and our administration is meeting this complex issue head-on.. We’ve identified key actions to help tackle rough sleeping by working in more flexibly, persuading more people into our hostels and working with our resettlement services to help individuals learn the skills to retain a tenancy of their own and to flourish in it.”
The committee meeting will take place at the Council’s West Offices on Thursday 21st June, at 5:30pm. Members of the public are welcome, or the meeting can be viewed live online at: http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts