The sterling work of our housing and outreach teams to get rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation is something I am incredibly proud of.
Their outstanding efforts have been bolstered with an innovative scheme, unique to Peterborough, which has recently opened and will be funded for the next 12 months by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) as part of this Labour government’s commitment to tackling homelessness.
The Off the Streets Accommodation scheme on Eastfield Road features special properties which can help up to 17 people with multiple and complex needs, for whom other temporary solutions such as hotels and B&Bs may be unsuitable.
The properties are designed to help ensure rough sleepers are given intensive support to help them gain a pathway into permanent accommodation and prevent them from returning to the streets.
One person currently staying in the accommodation is ‘Paul’, who has suffered from a range of addictions and mental health issues over several decades. Thanks to the scheme, his health is improving with medication and support from various services, and now he is working towards moving into independent accommodation.
The concept that the housing team have devised is unique; people come in and receive all the wraparound support that they need. Sometimes that’s life skills that most of us take for granted such as cooking or budgeting skills.
For me this is hugely positive for people in the city who need that extra care and support. As each individual has their own complex needs and stories, we must treat them as individuals. The team and I believe that bringing them into this safe space will help them to turn their lives around.
Improving conditions in privately rented homes in Peterborough is something that our housing team is also actively working to do.
I want to point out that the vast majority of landlords in Peterborough are decent law-abiding people providing a valuable service. Unfortunately, there are a minority who are letting their tenants down by providing them with substandard living conditions.
We are already making a positive difference with our Selective Licensing which has made great progress since launching in March last year. The initiative is about enhancing conditions in privately rented homes in ten areas of the city, by ensuring landlords are licenced and maintaining their properties properly.
We’re now proposing to introduce a city-wide Additional Licensing scheme in Peterborough, aimed at improving conditions for tenants living in Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and have recently launched a public consultation over this.
The scheme would protect private rented tenants and vulnerable groups from the social and health effects of poorly managed and maintained properties within the private rented sector.
This administration is about listening, and I strongly urge everyone to have their say in this consultation. Your feedback is vitally important and will help us shape a final decision. We would particularly like to hear from tenants, residents, landlords, letting agents and businesses.
The consultation runs until 31 July. For more information on the consultation and to have your say visit here.
Finally, I am immensely proud that our fellow councillors have adopted a statement raising awareness about Islamophobia, a process which Cllr Mohammed Jamil, our Deputy Leader, started back in 2022 with a motion to full council.
The statement outlines that the council stands ‘firmly against Islamophobia in all its forms and manifestations’. It also states that Islamophobia has ‘no place in Peterborough and fundamentally erodes British values of respect, tolerance and liberty’.
We will now look to help promote the statement more widely throughout the city demonstrating our commitment to Muslim communities and working to enhance community cohesion and safety.
There is also work to be done to protect other communities and interests but this is a great start and something I am proud to support.