Move to put potential homeless in private housing

Stafford Borough Council has proposed a move that will allow them to offer people private accommodation as opposed to bed and breakfasts or temporary properties, which incurs a cost for the authority.

Members on the cabinet were set to rubber stamp a decision on it last night.

Councillor Jeremy Pert, who presented the case, said the move would add ‘another weapon to our arsenal’ when it comes to tackling homelessness.

The work has been done under the Localism Act of 2011.

Council bosses say that the move will also assist in reducing the number of people facing homelessness.

Councillor Pert said: “This is adding another weapon to our arsenal as we look to tackle homelessness in the borough.

“I think we as an authority already have a good relationship with a number of private landlords across the borough so we will have a good footing to start from.

“Over the last year 544 people have been prevented from being homeless and this move is to make sure that we can continue to offer this level of help.

“If someone is facing homelessness we want to be able to have as many ways of helping them as possible.”

As well as helping those facing homelessness, councillor Pert believes the move will save the borough council money.

He also said the work was being done in anticipation of the introduction of the Government’s Homeless Reduction Act later this year.

Councillor Pert said: “This policy has the potential to reduce costs associated with keeping households in temporary accommodation and B&B for extended periods of time.

“Given the adequate supply of social housing in the borough, the additions of new build affordable housing every year and a reasonable turnover in the sector, it is envisaged that this policy will be rarely used.

“However, it is an important additional tool for the council to use in order to discharge its homelessness duty.

“It will also ensure the authority is well placed to respond to additional homelessness duties likely to be imposed by the forthcoming Homelessness Reduction Act.”

Last summer, a Stafford charity, House of Bread, was warned by Staffordshire Police to not hand out tents to people sleeping rough after claims it was encouraging anti-social behaviour.

A Staffordshire Police warning notice handed to the charity said officers had seen a rise in complaints over problems in the town centre linked to the tent occupiers.