Agenda item

*RESOLVED –

That the North Derbyshire Joint Homelessness Strategy 2016-2021 be adopted and published.

REASON FOR DECISION

To ensure compliance with the statutory obligation of having a strategy in place to deal with homelessness in the Borough.

The Housing Manager submitted a report to seek approval for the adoption and publication of the North Derbyshire Joint Homelessness Strategy 2016 – 2021, which set out the Council’s approach to dealing with homelessness in Chesterfield and across North Derbyshire.  A strategy was required as the Homelessness Act 2002 had placed an obligation on local authorities to review homelessness in their area and to produce and publish a five year strategy and action plan to tackle the issue in their area.

The report noted that the council had produced an interim Homelessness Statement for 2014/15 that had set out the key strategic priorities and the challenges faced relating to homelessness in Chesterfield, pending the development of a joint North Derbyshire Homelessness Strategy with the neighbouring districts of Bolsover and North East Derbyshire. The report noted that since 2003 Chesterfield Borough Council, along with Bolsover and North East Derbyshire District Councils had made considerable progress in improving services and reducing homelessness in their areas since each Council published their first homelessness strategies

The Housing Manager advised that as many of the issues faced by Chesterfield Borough Council with regard to homelessness were the same as those faced by the neighbouring authorities of Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, and that as the majority of the services and support available for homeless people were common throughout the three areas, it was practical to look at a shared overarching strategy.This strategic approach to joined up working would also enable the best use of resources, and would also maximise the opportunities to bring additional funding in to this area.

In order to move the joint working arrangement forwards the three councils had appointed consultants to carry out a review of homelessness across North Derbyshire, and to produce a joint Homelessness Strategy for 2016 – 2021. The proposed North Derbyshire Homelessness Strategy 2016 – 2021 set out the framework in which the council would develop and deliver homelessness prevention, advice and support services both in Chesterfield and north Derbyshire, and the proposed strategy was included in full as an appendix to the officer’s report.

*RESOLVED –

That the North Derbyshire Joint Homelessness Strategy 2016-2021 be adopted and published.

REASON FOR DECISION

To ensure compliance with the statutory obligation of having a strategy in place to deal with homelessness in the Borough.