Item 10 Appendix 2 - West Dunbartonshire Council RRTP 2021-22 Activities and Spend
West Dunbartonshire Council · 24 August 2022
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 24 August 2022 and its agenda
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RAPID REHOUSING TRANSITION PLAN 2021/22 Monitoring Report - activity and funding (RRTP funding - part of the Ending Homelessness Together Fund) Appendix 2
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1 Scottish Government Ending Homelessness Together Fund Monitoring Implementation of Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans As part of the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Fund, funding of £8m was agreed with COSLA for 2021/22. As with previous years, we are asking all local authorities to provide a written report on progress to date and how they have spent their allocation of funding. We would ask local authorities to remember to include all funding carried over from previous financial years. We would ask that all local authorities complete this report and include it with their amended RRTP for 2022/23 or the latest version available which should be submitted to the Scottish Government by 30 June 2022. We realise this may be subject to final accounts being cleared by Audit. Included is a template to provide detail on specific activities which should be replicated for each activity you have taken forward in implementing your Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. For example we are looking for information on specific activities such as prevention; recruitment of staff; temporary accommodation; shared tenancies; or mediation. Following feedback from the RRTP Sub-Group, this year’s template has been amended to capture information on the impact/outcomes of activities. This will enable the Scottish Government to develop the RRTP Report showing impact which is developed for the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group. We have now included a separate section of the template specifically for Housing First. This will enable us to capture information on Housing First across Scotland, how local authorities are delivering Housing First and to understand partnership arrangements. We have also included a template for reporting on RRTP funding which has not been spent during 2021/22 and previous financial years. We are looking for detail of how local authorities plan to spend any previously carried over funding during 2022/23. Please submit this report, your RRTP, an updated EQIA and any accompanying documents to: RapidRehousingTransitionPlansMailbox@gov.scot If there are any questions then please send them to the mailbox and a member of the team will contact you to discuss. Local Engagement and Rapid Rehousing Team
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2 Details of funding recipient Local Authority West Dunbartonshire Council Reporting Period 01/04/2021 to 31/03/2022 DD/MM/YYYY DD/MM/YYYY Reporting Officer Claire Mckay Position Senior Housing Development Officer Date Completed 18/05/2022 Total RRTP Funding carried over from 2020/21 £293,300 (includes the £156,000 winter allocation) RRTP Funding received for 2021/22 £234,000
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3 2021/22 Activity Activity Name: Interim Supported Tenancies Activity Description: Provide a short overview of the aims and the transformative nature of this activity. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in demand for all forms of temporary accommodation, due to an increase in homeless applications and restrictions that paused and limited letting activity across the sector. New ways of working had to be developed and following the recruitment of 2 Property Officers within the support service and redirecting 2 existing Support Workers to carry out this function in Year 2 we managed to increase the capacity of existing support workers to provide support directly to homeless households. We therefore did not need to recruit an additional support worker from the RRTP funding as originally planned, though we did recruit an additional senior post to help manage this increased demand, with 20% of the post funded by the Council, and 80% from the RRTP funding. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic we still have higher numbers of households in temporary accommodation than expected, we have been able to mainstream this role from Year 4 and it is now be funded from Council resource and embedded within our wider service delivery. Allocation Spent on activity: £ SG RRTP funding Local Authority funding Other 31,200 Overview of progress made to date: Provide a short summary of the work undertaken in the past year, progress made and challenges. This role has been critical in managing the provision of temporary accommodation and allowing for the support workers to concentrate on providing support. The role is now fully funded from West Dunbartonshire Council resources. Impact of Activity: Evidence of the impact of this activity, including any financial saving and how many households have benefited from this activity. The senior role has meant we haven’t had to recruit additional support staff as they now focus on support and Senior property officers oversee the provision and turnover of temporary accommodation. Partnership Working: Provide detail of all partners involved in this activity and how they have supported delivery. NA Future spend planned on this activity in 2022/23: £ SG RRTP Funding Local Authority funding Other Implementation in 2022/23:
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4 Provide a short summary of the aims and targets for this activity during 2022/23. This is now permanent and funded from WDC resources. Plans for mainstreaming this activity: Provide detail of the timescale and plans to mainstream / when this activity will end: As above. Please duplicate the above table for each activity you have undertaken in your RRTP for example: RRTP co-ordinator and other costs (prevention; flipping tenancies; mediation, etc.).
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5 2021/22 Activity Activity Name: Pilot prevention fund Activity Description: Provide a short overview of the aims and the transformative nature of this activity. Linked to the enhanced prevention officer role, we were able to source £21,000 in Year we carried out a survey with our partners on pilot options, the overwhelming support was a Prevention Fund Allocation Spent on activity: £ SG RRTP funding Local Authority funding Other 8,350 Overview of progress made to date: Provide a short summary of the work undertaken in the past year, progress made and challenges. There have been around 100 referrals received in 2021/22 and with the assistance of the Prevention Officer many of these households were able to then access other available funding to reduce their arrears and agree an affordable repayment. A further 22 households received a direct payment from the Prevention Fund in 2021/22 totalling £8350. This brings the total of payments from the pilot fund in the two years to 37 with a total spend of £13,550, leaving a balance of £8,283 that can be used in 2022/23. Impact of Activity: Evidence of the impact of this activity, including any financial saving and how many households have benefited from this activity. Following a payment from the pilot Prevention Fund and a repayment arrangement for any outstanding arrears being made, court action against these households was halted reducing potential evictions and homelessness. Partnership Working: Provide detail of all partners involved in this activity and how they have supported delivery. This Prevention Officer liaises closely with our RSL partners to stop eviction actions being taken forward and has close links with services which can help address support needs identified. Future spend planned on this activity in 2022/23: £ SG RRTP Funding Local Authority funding Other 8,283 Implementation in 2022/23: Provide a short summary of the aims and targets for this activity during 2022/23. Will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the fund in preventing homelessness. Plans for mainstreaming this activity: Provide detail of the timescale and plans to mainstream / when this activity will end: Funding dependent.
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6 2021/22 Activity Activity Name: Conversions Activity Description: Provide a short overview of the aims and the transformative nature of this activity. Converting temporary furnished flats to secure tenancies has proved to be a successful and highly popular option across West Dunbartonshire when this has been available. Our initial plan identified a funding requirement to support a conversion programme of temporary accommodation to Scottish Secure Tenancies, reducing the number of transitions and improving tenancy sustainment rates for homeless households. Allocation Spent on activity: £ SG RRTP funding Local Authority funding Other 37,500 75,000 Overview of progress made to date: Provide a short summary of the work undertaken in the past year, progress made and challenges. Due to the need to fund other elements of our RRTP, we did not plan to use any of our ring fenced RRTP funding for our Conversion Programme. In Year 3 we increased our own resources from £50,000 to £75,000 to support 30 conversions. Due to delays in recruiting additional Housing First support workers, we anticipated an underspend in this budget and therefore used this to increase the number of conversions we were able to carry out from 30 to 45. Impact of Activity: Evidence of the impact of this activity, including any financial saving and how many households have benefited from this activity. This options means that a homeless household doesn’t need to move again for their permanent offer, so when they are settled and happy a conversion can be offered. This has contributed to increasing rates of tenancy sustainment for households that have experienced homelessness. Partnership Working: Provide detail of all partners involved in this activity and how they have supported delivery. Future spend planned on this activity in 2022/23: £ SG RRTP Funding Local Authority funding Other 75,000 Implementation in 2022/23: Provide a short summary of the aims and targets for this activity during 2022/23. We aim to continue to provide this funding in future years to ensure this option remains part of our wider mainstream service response and currently plan for a minimum of 30 conversions during 2022/23. Plans for mainstreaming this activity: Already mainstreamed.
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7 Provide detail of the timescale and plans to mainstream / when this activity will end:
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8 Housing First Progress Housing First Progress: Provide a short overview of progress to date in developing and implementing Housing First in your local authority area. Housing First West Dunbartonshire was established in 2019 to assist those with the most complex needs into settled housing. During the time of the RRTP the aim is to continue to expand the service to allow for more tenancies to be offered. We have managed to continue to upscale the service and as we learn and make operational changes e.g. moving from a staff, client ratio of 1:6 to 1:7 to match the pathfinders. Housing First Tenancies Provide an overview of how many Housing First tenancies have started area and the plans for scaling up Housing First in future years. Also provide the average support cost of each Housing First tenancy. In Year 3 we created 28 tenancies, our original aim was 35 at the start of the year on the basis we would recruit 3 additional support workers however, the recruitment of the 3rd was delayed until Feb 22 therefore reducing the capacity by 7. We have created a total of 48 in the first 3 years of the service. Based on current staffing costs and staff, client ratio, the average support cost for a Housing First tenancy is £6,285. Housing First Furniture Packages Provide an overview of any furniture packages you provide to each Housing First tenancy, including an average cost of furniture packages and how they are funded. Years 1-3 we have used the RRTP funding and allocated £2,500 for furniture packages provided to each new Housing First tenancy created. Following the HF framework and analysis of our spending we have now reduced this to £1,500. This cost is part of the overall cost of delivering Housing First in West Dunbartonshire and is currently funded from both the RRTP funding received from the Scottish Government and from WDC resources. Housing First Partners Provide detail of all Housing First partners who are supporting the delivery of Housing First. We work closely with the landlords of all Housing First tenants, including our colleagues in Housing Operations as well as Loretto Housing Association who have provided properties for Housing First tenants. Operationally Housing First support workers work closely with a range of services including addiction services, mental health services, criminal justice and Working For You. At a strategic level we also provide regular updates on Housing First to the Housing and Communities Committee, to the Alcohol and Drug Partnership meetings and the Housing Solutions Partnership. Allocation Spent on Housing First: £ SG RRTP funding Local Authority funding Other 417,000
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9 Impact of Housing First: Evidence of the impact of Housing First, including any financial saving and savings identified by other public bodies if it has been measured. Impact of the tenancies to date; Tenancies created 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Total Total HF tenancies created 5 15 28 48 HF tenancies ended (deaths) 1 1 1 3 HF tenancies stepped down 0 1 2 3 HF tenancies being supported 42 Of the 48 Housing First tenancies created to date in West Dunbartonshire, only 3 have ended and all of these were the result of the death of the tenant. Future spend planned on this activity in 2022/23: £ SG RRTP Funding Local Authority funding Other 266,109 125,000 Implementation in 2022/23: Provide a short summary of the aims and targets for Housing First during 2022/23. Based on funding that is currently available we have continued with 8 FTE HF Support Workers which will allow us to support 56 Housing First tenancies. We have not been able to upscale Housing First further to fully meet identified need within West Dunbartonshire. We have therefore reduced the projected new Housing First tenancies in Year 4 from 36 to 14. We have retained our assumptions around the staff/client ratio at 1 worker to 7 clients. Following feedback from the Housing First Pathfinder and other networking opportunities we have modelled the level of HF support being maintained in future years. Following feedback from the Housing First Pathfinder and other networking opportunities we have reduced the HF tenancy set-up costs from £2500 to £1500. Due to available funding we have replaced the annual Housing First tenancy sustainment budget of £1000 per HF tenancy, with a Diversionary Activities Budget of £18,000 to cover all HF clients. We are currently taking part in a Housing First Check Up process in conjunction with Homeless Network Scotland and will respond appropriately to a final report that will provide a view on areas of success and challenge.
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10 Plans for mainstreaming this activity: Provide detail of the timescale and plans to mainstream. We will explore funding options and delivery models to sustain Housing First in future years.
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11 Unspent RRTP Funding Please provide the total RRTP funding provided by the Scottish Government for the implementation of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan in your area that has not been spent to date. £ 28,109 Provide detail of how this funding will be spent on implementing the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan in 2022/23 detailing the area that it will be used in. Please make clear the individual amounts ACTIVITY FUNDING TO BE CARRIED FORWARD Housing First £ 28,109 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £