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Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation

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This consultation has now closed.

Overview

The council is currently consulting on the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This strategy sets out our vision and plans for the homelessness over the next five years. The strategies cover a range of themes which provide a framework and action plan to address homelessness related issues in Barnet.

Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy

This draft strategy has been written to address the issues identified in the Homeless Review.

The main themes of the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy are:

  1. Preventing homelessness
  2. Reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation and securing sufficient accommodation for those

Overview

The council is currently consulting on the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This strategy sets out our vision and plans for the homelessness over the next five years. The strategies cover a range of themes which provide a framework and action plan to address homelessness related issues in Barnet.

Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy

This draft strategy has been written to address the issues identified in the Homeless Review.

The main themes of the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy are:

  1. Preventing homelessness
  2. Reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation and securing sufficient accommodation for those at risk or who are homeless
  3. Establishing effective partnerships, working arrangements and support to those who are or used to be homeless, to improve their resilience and reduce the risk of them becoming homeless again
  4. Supporting rough sleepers to address their housing and other needs

You can view the full draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy here.

Give us your views

The consultations are open to all Barnet residents and residents who live outside the borough, as well as businesses, community and voluntary organisations. We are keen to hear your views on both strategies.

You can do this by completing the:

Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy questionnaire.

Thank you to all those who attended the session with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Housing Committee held on 21st November 6.30pm at Colindale Library.

If you would prefer a hard copy of the questionnaire or another format of questionnaire, please contact Joshua.Henry@Barnet.gov.uk or call 020 8359 7043.

PLEASE NOTE - we are also consulting on our Draft Housing Strategy. If you would like to take part in this please click here.


This consultation has now closed.

  • Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation

    Share Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation on Facebook Share Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation on Twitter Share Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation on Linkedin Email Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Consultation link

    We asked for views on the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. Specifically, we asked for your views on each of the priorities of the draft strategy and then for your views on specific policies relating to each theme. The priorities of the strategy are:

    • Preventing homelessness
    • Reducing the use of temporary accommodation and securing accommodation for people who are homeless
    • Establishing effective partnerships, working arrangements and support to those who are or used to be homeless, to improve their resilience and reduce the risk of them from becoming homeless again
    • Supporting rough sleepers to address their housing and other needs

    You said:

    There were 166 responses to the consultation, which overall showed strong support for the overarching themes and the individual priorities within that. The mean average support for the overarching priorities was 92%. The most popular priority was preventing homelessness, with 93.8% support. Establishing effective partnerships, working arrangements and support was also popular with 92.5% support, while supporting rough sleepers to address their housing and other needs (91.8%) and reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation (90.4%) also received strong backing.

    This was also reflected within the individual priorities of each chapter, with all of the priorities in preventing homelessness receiving at least 90% support.

    Other comments wanted the strategy to emphasise the role of partner organisations, such as Homeless Action in Barnet, who are a key partner in supporting rough sleepers in Barnet.

    Another comment that was raised by multiple respondents related to improving outreach and being more proactive in terms of rough sleeping in the borough, while others wanted more work on the health needs of rough sleepers.

    We did

    All of the comments from the consultation were fed into the final strategy and accompanying consultation report, which were approved at Housing Committee on 1st April 2019.

    In terms of partner organisations, a new part of the action plan has been added to improve multi-agency working when relating to care leavers. This will identify early and appropriate action to improve actions and provide a range of housing options suitable for care leavers alongside support for example through ongoing money management and tenancy support.

    The strategy now references Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB) in multiple sections, emphasising the role that they play in supporting rough sleepers in the borough.

    Concerns about outreach have been addressed by the strategy now pledging to develop and monitor an Annual Rough Sleeping Plan to reduce rough sleeping across the borough. In terms of health needs, all rough sleepers will have a full assessment of health needs and will be supported to be registered with a GP and have access to primary care services in Barnet.