To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

None.

The Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services submitted a report which was presented by the Scrutiny Officer which, was to:

a.)   Present the items prioritised by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee (COSC), including the next item delegated to this Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

b.)   Present the Committee with a list of further potential items for comment and prioritisation;

c.)   Ask the Committee to identify and further items for consideration using the pre-determined criteria form;

d.)   Consider and approve the feedback from the previous meetings of Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3, and note the list of responses, including any still outstanding at Appendix A to the report.

The report gave some background information, then referred to the attached Appendix B, the overall Forward Work Programme (FWP) for the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees (SOSC’s), which included the topics prioritised by the COSC for the next set of SOSC’s in Table A of the report, as well as topics that were deemed important for future prioritisation at Table B.

A Member was of the opinion that the subject of Empty Properties should be followed-up, and therefore, this important Item should remain on the FWP and revisited in 6 months’ time.

RESOLVED:                 That the report be approved and noted.

Invitees

Cllr Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member Future Generations and Wellbeing

Andrew Jolley, Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services

Martin Morgans, Head of Partnerships and Performance

Lynne Berry, Group Manager Housing and Community Regeneration

Andrew Ireland, The Wallich

Gareth Jones, The Wallich

Lorraine Griffiths, Rheolwr Ardal /Area Manager Pobl Group

The Corporate Director – Operational and Partnership Services presented a report on the provision of emergency accommodation for people presenting as homeless within Bridgend. The report also focused on the hostel provision at Brynmenyn, with a view to responding to Committee’s queries regarding its quality and appropriateness of provision. Finally, the report also identified a number of ‘long list’ options for consideration as a potential replacement provision (for the Brynmenyn hostel).

The Group Manager Housing and Community Regeneration gave an outline of the report and advised that the Housing Act (Wales) Act 2014 had changed the focus of support for homelessness and housing to prevent and relieve homelessness, and to ensuring that people in this position, receive help as soon as possible.

The table in paragraph 3.2 of the report, reflected that Total Presentations of people presenting themselves as homeless had increased in the last few years. This was due to the fact that everyone that was considered eligible was entitled to help; however, the number of ‘final duty’ priority need unintentionally homeless acceptances had substantially fallen.

She added that the Authority together with its partners had to respond in a reactive manner within a short timescale, to ensure that interim/emergency accommodation was available for people we had a homelessness duty to particularly those individuals who were regarded as vulnerable, until such time suitable permanent accommodation was found.  If the number of homelessness applications and ‘final duty’ acceptances increased, then the expected demand for interim/emergency accommodation would also be higher.

The Group Manager Housing and Community Regeneration, confirmed that emergency accommodation was provided at the hostel in Brynmenyn, as well as in Ty Ogwr and Cornerstone, emergency bed space at the Kerrigan project and leased temporary accommodation. Although not part of this emergency accommodation, information on the nightly floor space (floor space at the Kerrigan run by Gwalia) had been highlighted in the report, in order to provide context to the needs of street homeless provision for those that the Authority had no housing ‘duty’ towards, but which nevertheless require a place to sleep overnight. This was in the form of a direct access provision which had 9 nightly floor spaces for street homeless people.

The Group Manager Housing and Community Regeneration confirmed that it was not just families that required emergency housing, as there was now a trend also for the support of single people without children.

The Cabinet Member - Future Generations and Wellbeing, advised Members that the main place in the County Borough at Brynmenyn Hostel, where individuals could be afforded accommodation as a matter of urgency, was mostly effective in terms of a provision of service. The problem was that the building was old and outdated, and required modernising as well as certain other adaptations.

A Member felt that the service that was being provided in terms of the provision of Emergency Accommodation was well regarded.  There was an issue however with individuals being provided  this in the valley areas, as they were remote from a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None.