Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

The report of the Head of Housing Services incorporating the Isle of Anglesey County Council Supporting People Commissioning and Spend Plan 2018/19 was presented for the Executive’s consideration and approval.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Supporting Communities commended the Plan to the Executive.

The Housing Services’ Principal Development Officer reported that it is one of the requirements of the Supporting People Programme funding that the Authority prepares a Commissioning Plan to inform Welsh Government and all partners and stakeholders of its commissioning intentions and priorities. In a letter received from Welsh Government in December, 2017 the allocation for Anglesey for 2018/19 was confirmed as £2,643,866 i.e. the same level of funding approximately as in the previous four years. 2018/19 will be a transitional year for the Supporting People Programme in Wales with 7 local authorities operating under a different arrangement and taking part in a pilot scheme which will see 10 grants which are part of the Tackling Poverty Agenda being combined within one fund which will be known as the Early Intervention, Prevention and Support Grant – 100% of this funding can be transferred from one programme to another. During the same period, Anglesey along with the other 14 authorities will have the option to transfer up to 15% of any underspend from one programme to another. The new arrangement across the 7 local authorities will be evaluated during the year. The Officer said that whilst close collaboration across the sources of funding should be welcomed the arrangement poses a risk to the Programme in its current form as described in paragraph 1.8 of the report, and it creates some uncertainty for the future of the Programme which has been in existence since 2003 and which has during that time proved its worth to the Housing Service, to Social Services and to other services such as Probation and Health.

The Supporting People Plan includes a programme of service area reviews that are conducted every three years. During 2018/19, detailed reviews in relation to domestic abuse, single vulnerable parents, older people, prison leavers, mental health and older people (floating support) will be carried out. The service also intends to undertake a full tendering exercise for continuous floating support in May, 2018.

Members of the North Wales Regional Collaboration Committee are keen to develop regionally commissioned services within specific areas; to achieve this goal, it has been proposed on a regional level and approved in local Planning Group Boards across North Wales that each local authority should make a contribution of 0.5% directly to the annual Supporting People allocation. For Anglesey, this would result in a reduction of £13,219 in its grant for local provision. The North Wales Regional Collaboration Committee has identified the service areas listed in paragraph 4.3 as regional priorities.

The Officer highlighted changes in the way services are funded as referred to in section 5 of the report. The provision for Prison leavers will increase by 72.5% as a result of the £35,243 investment in the Resettlement Officers post. Previously, the post was funded from the Homelessness Section 180 grant – the funding will now be available for other uses in relation to preventing homelessness.

The Executive noted the information and sought assurance with regard to the following points –

•  The Executive sought clarification of whether any impacts resulting from the Wylfa Newydd development have been factored into Supporting People Plans. The Housing Services’ Principal Development Officer said that the service is mindful of the possible effects of the Wylfa Newydd development which could lead to an increased level of homelessness if the private rental sector seeks to maximise rental income at the expense of existing tenancies. This has been a feature in certain areas of England where rents have increased by three times the market rent. Therefore, while there are considerable financial advantages to the Wylfa Newydd development, there is also another side to the picture, and the Authority needs to be aware of the homelessness factor and the consequent risk.

•  The Executive sought assurance that the removal of the Resettlement Officer from Homelessness Prevention to the Supporting People Programme will not entail the loss of a post within the Homelessness prevention provision. The Housing Services’ Principal Development Officer confirmed that it is matter of moving funds from one programme to another; the Resettlement Officer post will sit better in the Supporting People Programme and will mean that the funds can be used for other homelessness prevention purposes.

•  The Executive noted that homelessness levels are on the increase nationally. The Executive sought clarification of the position locally. The Housing Services’ Principal Development Officer said that anecdotal evidence suggests that homelessness levels are rising on Anglesey too with increased numbers in bed and breakfast placements; there are also a number of poverty related issues and social issues which can be linked to homelessness. The service expects these issues to become more acute for a time with the advent of the Government welfare reforms which does not bode well for the future.

It was resolved to approve –

•  The Supporting People Commissioning Plan 2018-21 and the recommendations therein.

•  The allocation of funding for each service area as outlined in the Spend Plan on page 45 of the Supporting People Commissioning Plan.