Item 10 Appendix 2 - More than a Roof - Housing Solutions Strategy 2025-2028
West Dunbartonshire Council · 26 February 2025
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1 Appendix 2 Housing Solutions Strategy Consultation Summary Person responsible: Claire Mckay Consultation Start date - August 2024 Consultation End Date - 20/01/25 1. Title of consultation / participation exercise “More than a Roof” West Dunbartonshire Council Housing Solutions Strategy 2025 - 2028 2. Aims and objectives More than a Roof” is West Dunbartonshire Council’s 6th Homeless Strategy with a strong focus on finding housing solutions for those households in need. This strategy covers the period from 2025 to 2028, which means it is aligned with our current Local Housing Strategy which also runs until 2028. Four objectives; 1. Homelessness is prevented by providing good quality advice and information to enable informed decisions on personal housing solutions, 2. Where homelessness does occur households are rehoused quickly, 3. Review and ensure there are a wide range of support services available to prevent and end homelessness, and 4. Working with partners to provide Interim options for temporary accommodation and providing best quality temporary accommodation where required. 3. Invited to get involved: (e.g. all tenants, tenant from the interested tenants register, RTOs, staff) Lives experience – current and previous households who have experienced homelessness Homeless service staff Keys stakeholders – HSCP, Housing, Housing Solutions Partnership Public WDTRO and other tenants 4. Methods used to promote/invite stakeholders to get involved? (e.g. Service user focus groups in person Online surveys – circulated on social media, sent via text message and emails to staff and stakeholders Item 10 Appendix 2
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2 letters, posters, website) Public consultation events Team meetings Once it was in draft followed up at strategic meetings, service user meetings, WDTRO meeting and a new online survey which was circulated on social media and emails. 5. Who took part (Actual number of individuals and or number of tenant organisations represented) 5 service users at initial focus group to create the survey. 5 services with around 100 staff Strategic groups with around 30 members WDTRO with 8 tenant representatives 113 responses to first consultation survey 41 responses to the draft consultation survey 6. Method(s) used to obtain views? (e.g. focus/working group, newsletter, survey) Why? Focus groups Online survey Public events Meetings internal and strategic newsletter 7. What good practice or minimum standards can you evidence as part of your consultation? Ensuring variety of methods Consultation at the beginning of the process before a draft was written to ensure wants/needs captured first. Further consultation once a draft was produced 8. Outcome of consultation? The service user focus group lead to the creation of the online survey for the three groups; 1. Service users 2. Staff 3. Stakeholders This consultation show that key asks more support options including the type offered. There was a strong ask around more partnership working particular for those household who have multiple support needs. One of the big asks was more housing and more information. The asks from the consultation then led to the key objectives being agreed for the draft. From the further consultation once a draft was publish showed that Stakeholders were very supportive of the
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3 support element in the draft of the strategy and partnership working. The WDTRO were supportive of it all. The online survey showed the strongest support for objective one and three – prevention and support. Where those who felt the actions weren’t enough many mentioned actions which are already in the plan including a youth supported options and more partnership working. However, it did highlight that BME group gypsy/travellers were not specifically mentioned. However, we have a strong empathises on person centred approach therefore we ensure the information and outcome is specific to them. We a positive ongoing engagement with West Dunbartonshire travelling community which showed extremely high satisfaction levels. 9. How did the consultation influence decision make? It made the objectives clear as the same message was repeated from different groups. Helped shape specific actions of things not previously considered. Helped informed EIA and additional information. 10. Are you able to demonstrate this? YES 11. How was feedback about the consultation and final decision given? Returned to speak to service users from the focus group, and texted information, used housing newsletter and will promote via social media. 12. Was the eight week timescale observed? YES If no please say why? 13. Was equal opportunities information collected? YES 14. Did you check with participants that they were happy with the opportunities given to make their views known and that they felt that they were listened to and acted upon? yes x
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4 What worked well, what didn’t work well – or any other comments you have. Comments: Need to be careful over the wording of the questions to ensure they are clear. Think a full strategy document is hard to ensure they are fully read providing summaries can miss useful information. Starting consultation at the beginning worked so well as the objectives were very clear plus also lead to considering actions not thought of. Ensuring multiple ways to participate helped gather a lot of feedback but would consider if there are other ways that would improve more face-to-face feedback Summary of the first consultation Service users The majority of service users said there was nothing that could have been done to prevent their homelessness. Most were happy with the location of their temporary accommodation and felt it met their needs. Most service users felt they are/were listened to by staff; however, some reported a lack of empathy, feeling unheard and a lack of choice in where they live. More than half felt they were provided with good quality information that met their needs; however, some reported a lack of communication with staff and feeling uniformed about their case. The lack of support from homeless services was a reoccurring theme throughout, with service users reporting that more help was required to settle into their new tenancy in relation to benefits, employment, mental health and addiction. The top three things that service users need to end homelessness: o More available housing options o More/continuous support (financial, employment, mental health and addiction) o To be heard o To feel safe o Understanding staff. Staff & Stakeholders Both largely agreed that WDC do enough to prevent homelessness, however stated that more resources and greater partnership working were required to improve service. All stakeholders believe their service has a role to play in preventing homelessness in WD. There was a shared consensus that there aren’t enough housing options available in WD, due to a lack of affordable housing, issues with PRS affordability and accessibility, and lack of financial support. Both reported a lack of available housing support options in WDC, highlighting gaps in support for those with low support needs/at risk of homelessness, as well as those with more complex needs.
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5 The lack of temporary accommodation options available in WDC was reinforced throughout the process, with both staff and stakeholders reporting that more specific accommodation was required to meet client need i.e. young people and those with more complex needs. There was agreement that the needs of households experiencing homelessness have changed in the last 5 years in terms of growing support needs, lack of suitable accommodation and external pressures. There was a shared consensus that WDC/everyone should be doing more to help households experiencing homelessness to be rehoused quicker through improved collaborative working and communication, in terms of ensuring households are tenancy ready before moving on from temporary accommodation and greater housing options – including building more houses and bringing existing stock up to standard. Most staff said they were confident in providing good quality information and advice to households, highlighting the importance of managing expectations and regular training to ensure they are up to date with legislative changes. The three priorities that stakeholders would like to see in the new strategy: o More new housing supply o More support (especially for young people) o More funding o Better communication among partners o Multi agency working o ‘Scaling up’ of Housing First. Summary of Second Consultation Alignment with Strategy objectives 61% of respondents agreed with Objective 1: Homelessness is prevented by providing good quality advice and information to enable informed decisions on personal housing solutions. 61% of respondents agreed with Objective 2: Where homelessness does occur, households are rehoused quickly. 78% of respondents agreed with Objective 3: Review and ensure there are a wide range of support services available to prevent and end homelessness; 71% of respondents agreed with Objective 4: Working with partners to provide interim options for temporary accommodation and providing best quality temporary accommodation when required.
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