Agenda item

David Walton (DHI) and Rowan Wooton (Julian House) will discuss with the forum the issues of homelessness on the street and street activity. The aims will be to provide information around the numbers involved in Bath and carry out some myth busting around these issues.

The forum received a presentation on Street Homelessness in Bath & North East Somerset from:

Roanne Wootten Operations Director Julian House

Tony Yates Assertive Outreach Worker DHI

David Walton Housing Director DHI

The presentation looked at the local pattern for rough sleeping in B&NES, the causes of why people are homeless and how street outreach workers are helping in Bath.

The BANES Homelessness Partnership has received additional government funding of £300K which was allocated to areas that have more than twenty or more street homelessness people.

Following consultation with rough sleepers the areas of new intervention have been strategically planned and will be targeted in the following ways: 

• Hospital Discharge.
• Rapid Assessment and Re-engagement
• Mental Health Outreach (AWP).
• Housing First.

The Streetlink service provides the opportunity for the public to help in the reporting of people that may be in need of help. This is available on line or through the mobile phone app. The service has recently shown how effective it can be as fifteen reports were mare in the period of one week.

Questions and Comments

Cllr Bob Goodman – Having spent time with an outreach worker about a year ago I saw for myself the real value that the specialised outreach bring to people who get to know them.

Cllr Peter Turner – I appreciate the work that is being carried out and would like the aim to be that all street homeless come off the street. I do see and hear about the level of begging that is carried out in Bath after 7pm which is then used for buying drugs.

Response – there is a commitment to women on the street that are more vulnerable. Offers of accommodation are made and over twenty people are in safe house accommodation at any one time, this does mean we are mostly full. There are individuals that refuse accommodation as they do not feel comfortable, this can be down to violence or aggression that they have suffered in the past.

Cllr Jasper Becker – How bad is the situation with fake begging on the streets and how bad is the impact on mental health caused by weed or other drug misuse?

Response – Bath and Keynsham has seen a professional beggar situation which has been picked up by outreach workers and on social media. The Police have been really good at acting upon information.

Rouge Sleepers have often experienced traumatic childhood experiences, when this has been the case it often leads to a greater risk of substance misuse. Support is available, from September 2018 there will be two outreach workers, and in addition a weekly drop in surgery is held at The Beehive in Southdown Bath. 

Roger Driver – The Wellness activity that takes place in the City where students help and handouts are given does not seem to be co-ordinated be a professional service and is not as well joined up as it could be.

Response – Food is always available to anybody who is in a homeless situation, the myth of a £3 charge for the night shelter is not true for Julian House and The YMCA. There is a policy that tents are not to be given out and this shared by DHI, genesis and Julian House.

Cllr Patrick Anketell-Jones – What is done for those people that value their independence but appear to have lost the acceptance of the community around them?

Response – We look to find the way that works for the individual, this can be in an existing community where steps are taken to build around them. Where we can identify the likes and interests of someone we can look to support through different levels of courses with likeminded people. When activities are identified we look to get someone to accompany them along to these.