News from Peterborough City Council

A comprehensive plan for preventing homelessness and improving housing services for Peterborough residents is being launched by Peterborough City Council in partnership with locally-based housing associations.

 

The plan, covering the period 2008 to 2011, has been produced following widespread consultation with the housing associations (known as registered social landlords), other statutory and voluntary groups and local residents.  Any final comments on the plan can be submitted by Saturday 24 February prior to its adoption by the city council next month (March).

 

The plan aims to continue efforts to reduce homelessness and manage its impact in other areas such as health, education, training and employment.  The involvement of statutory and voluntary organisations is designed to reach out directly to people who are, or are in danger of becoming, homeless.

 

Councillor John Holdich, the city council's Cabinet member for housing, regeneration and economic development, said:  "Our first strategy set ambitious, challenging targets with a clear vision of moving away from crisis management towards a strategic approach to preventing homelessness prevention and helping people resettle and maintain their existing tenancies.

 

"The new plan has to address local and national issues that were not even on the horizon when we commenced the first strategy in response to the Homelessness Act 2002.  We have reviewed the housing supply and needs within Peterborough and undertaken considerable consultation on priority areas for action with our partners, stakeholders and service users."

 

Karen Whatley, homelessness prevention officer for the city council, said:  "Homelessness has an impact on many aspects of local services and we cannot rely on social housing alone to solve the issues of homelessness and overcrowding.  This plan recognises that homelessness has much wider implications than for the city council's housing options service alone."

 

The strategy proposes seven priorities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information and to comment on the strategy visit http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/page-13559 or call Karen Whatley on 01733 742661.

 

 

Notes:

 

All local authorities are required to produce a Homelessness Strategy under the Homelessness Act of 2002.  The strategy identifies the nature of homelessness in Peterborough, the level and type of unmet need in the city and the plans to meet these needs. The strategy sets out how Peterborough aims to build upon its strategic approach in terms of the delivery of the homelessness services.

 

The Peterborough Homelessness Strategy Group is a strategic partnership made up of representatives from local authority departments (such as housing options, children's specialist services (Social Services), community safety, strategic planning and enabling, youth offending service, New Link, children's universal services (education); private sector housing and other key agencies such as Peterborough Primary Care Trust, registered social landlords, Supporting People, Citizens' Advice Bureau, the YMCA and alcohol advisory service Drinksense.