Report to Directors Group
Date
|
February 2004
|
Reporting Area
|
Housing & Supported Living
|
Lead Director
|
Jane Ashman
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SCOPE OF REPORTING AREA:
Housing & Supported Living encompasses Housing Services; the
Council's strategic housing role; the Supporting People Programme;
and provision of residential care and extra care housing for older
people.
The work of Housing Services includes area renewal, private
sector housing grants and enforcement, home energy efficiency,
bringing empty properties back into use, homelessness, housing
advice and the Homeseekers register. The strategic housing role
includes enabling the development of affordable housing for rent
and shared ownership and leading the development of the Council's
Housing Strategy. The Council's registered residential care homes
for older people are now managed alongside St Johns Court sheltered
and extra care housing scheme and provision of care at The Orchard
(an extra care housing scheme).
Housing is involved in cross-service working including
Supporting People, the Local Strategic Partnership and Community
Strategy, social inclusion, empty properties, community safety, the
Local Plan and customer access.
PROGRESS/ISSUE REPORTING
| |
Progress Made
|
Issues to be addressed
|
Who
|
By When
|
|
Leadership
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
Managers Equality Group (MEG) has been established. The aim of
this group is to give a clear steer on equalities issues and
support in undertaking "Impact Assessment Audits" for all Housing
and Supported Living Services.
|
The group will be responsible for the implement and monitoring
of action plans resulting from the audits.
|
Group Manager Housing
|
On-going
|
| |
Progress Made
|
Issues to be addressed
|
Who
|
By When
|
Leadership
New items
|
The first Partnering Workshop for the
Residential Care/Extra Care re-provision project was held at the
end of January. The Workshop brought together a wide range of
stakeholders including relatives, trade union representatives,
staff, voluntary organisations and formal partners to the
project.
Leadbitter have been appointed as the
Lead Constructor for the development of the three new Centres.
|
Further meetings have been
planned.
|
Head of Housing & Supported
Living
Head of Housing & Supported
Living
|
On-going
On-going
|
People Management
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
A timetable has been agreed for the move of the remaining
frontline housing staff from North Parade Buildings to Lewis
House.
|
Plans for allocation of space at Lewis House have to take into
account the new corporate spatial standards, which have been
communicated to all staff.
|
Group Manager Housing
|
Summer 04
|
People Management
New items
|
The first of the new monthly meetings
for all Frontline Housing Services staff was held in January. These
regular meetings will ensure the further integration of the
frontline Housing Service.
|
|
Group Manager Housing
|
On-going
|
|
Policy and Strategy
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
The review of the pilot for the Homeseekers Register did not
report as planned in December. A members workshop took place on the
11th February. The purpose of the workshop was to
explain the draft revised Homeseekers Policy.
|
Comments and feedback from the workshop will be used to revise
the draft policy, with a follow up Members workshop planned for
March 04.
|
Group Manager Housing
|
March 04
|
| |
Progress Made
|
Issues to be addressed
|
Who
|
By When
|
|
Policy and Strategy
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
The Affordable Housing Strategy for 2004-07 was submitted to the
Executive in February, following consultation from a wide range of
stakeholders and presentation to the Overview & Scrutiny
panel.
There is also a statutory requirement to submit an overall
Housing Strategy for Bath & North East Somerset (considering
issues wider than affordable housing). This strategy will be
considered by the Council at it's meeting in March.
|
A private members workshop is planned for March 04 as further
development of the strategy is required before it is re-submitted
to the Executive later in the year
|
Strategic Director / Head of Housing & Supported Living
Planning & Partnership Manager
|
March 04
March 04
|
|
Policy and Strategy
New items
|
The Empty Properties Strategy was completed and circulated for
consultation.
|
Submit the strategy to the Executive Member in March 04
|
Group Manager Housing
|
March 04
|
|
Resources
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
Due to Government subsidy arrangements for B&B accommodation
it has not been possible to make a Business Case for the use of
Council Capital funds.
The potential predicted overspend within the Elderly Peoples
Homes budget has been significantly reduced.
|
Actions to minimise the overspend, as outlined in the previous
report, to be continued.
|
Group Manager Housing
|
On-going
|
|
Resources
New Items
|
Confirmation has been received that a bid for revenue funding
for providing in-reach nursing care to Older People in registered
residential care has been successful. This Government grant
provides £1.3 million over a three year period.
|
Implementation of the project plan, which has already been
established
|
Project Manager
|
|
| |
Progress Made
|
Issues to be addressed
|
Who
|
By When
|
|
Resources
New Items
|
In addition we are also to receive £213,000 of TOPSS
funding for 2004/05 to "up-skill" support workers in residential
care homes in a range of disciplines including nursing, OT,
physiotherapy and speech & language.
A bid for £5 million capital funding has been submitted to
the Department of Health Extra Care Housing Fund.
|
The TOPSS initiative spans both local authority and independent
providers of residential care. Bath & North East Somerset are
to take the lead on the project management
|
Project Manager
|
March 05
|
|
Process
Updates on Nov 03 report
|
The Bed & Breakfast (B&B) task
group, who prepared and implemented the action plan to reduce the
usage of B&B accommodation for homeless people are already
seeing positive results. On the 30th of January there
were only 26 homeless households in B&B which compares to 60
households in September 03. Even better news is that only one
family with dependent children in B&B at this time and no
expectant mothers.
Following the first review of
Supporting People funded services, the draft report has been
submitted to the commissioning body.
The Supporting Living Continuous
Improvement Review was presented to Overview & Scrutiny in
January 04. The panel commented on the progress made and agreed not
to take up the option of further reality checking
|
The new statutory requirements, which
come into force in April 04, make it unlawful for families with
dependent children to spend longer that 6 weeks in B&B
accommodation. The aim will therefore be to continue to improve on
and maintain our recent good performance.
Somer Community Housing Trust are now
required to draw up and implement an action plan resulting from the
review.
Ensure action points are followed
through and report back to Overview & Scrutiny when
requested.
|
Group Manager Housing
Group Manager Housing / Somer
Performance Manager
|
On-going
On-going
|
| |
Progress Made
|
Issues to be addressed
|
Who
|
By When
|
|
Process
New Items
|
Consultation meetings with relatives
and residents took place at Tyndale and Woodside early in
January.
|
Community Care Assessments for each
resident have commenced and will be continued to establish the
needs and wishes of residents and their families
|
Group Manager Housing
|
March 04
|
Glossary: GOSW = Government of the South West; TOPSS = Training
Organisation for Personal Social Services.
2. RESULTS AGAINST TARGETS (Feb
2004)
