Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interest was declared:

Councillor C Richards declared a personal interest in Minute No. 54 – Work Plan for 2018/19 – Governor of Penyrheol Comprehensive School.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Poverty Reduction Policy Development and Delivery Committee held on 28 March 2018 be approved and signed as a correct record.

1.               Members Update on research;

2.               Further exploration on Homelessness, items to be identified.

Steve Porter, Housing Operations Manager provided a presentation on Housing First.

As requested at the last meeting, 2 documents had been circulated to the Committee, which were also included in the agenda pack:

·       Housing First – Housing-led solutions to rough sleeping and homelessness (produced by The Centre for Social Justice);

·       Housing First (HF) – National Principles and Guidance for Wales.

The Housing Operations Manager explained the background to Housing First (HF), why the Local Authority should consider it, its advantages, including the challenges involved and how it could be taken forward in Swansea.

Comments from the Committee included:

·                 Concern about how Communities would react to having rough sleepers placed in their areas, however most Communities do tend to “look after their own”;

·                 Utilising the HF scheme means that the need is spread across the City, rather than all being located in one place;

·                 Acknowledged that it won’t suit all those in need but at least those who do take up the scheme will be housed in an area that they chose rather than being chosen for them or them having to go into a hostel situation;

·                 Mental Health teams will need to play a major role in the partnership work that will need to be undertaken;

·                 All of the Principles need to be applied for it to work;

·                 It can be more difficult for HF to work for young people;

·                 Also need a joined up approach for care leavers;

·                 Local Councillors will need to be updated where possible - taking into account the new GDPR rules;

·                 Good work still ongoing within the Welfare Rights Unit in relation to Universal Credit; 

·                 Recent Mortgage Interest Support changes have been announced – how would this affect the scheme? 

·                 Need to ensure the “hidden homeless” are also identified, including those, including youngers who “sofa surf”;

·                 Whether the funding provided by WG would cover the scheme?  Approximately £12k per year to house a person using the HF scheme.

Resolved that the presentation be noted.

The Committee discussed the work they had undertaken during the 2017-2018 Municipal Year. 

They suggested that the following issues still needed to be addressed – cost of school uniforms, free school meals, food banks and low wages in Wales for working families resulting in the working poor.  Considering these issues, the Committee would like to recommend that the future Committee consider “Working Poor” as a theme for the Work Plan for 2018/2019.

Resolved that “Working Poor” be recommended as a theme for the future Committee for 2018/19.