The Homelessness Strategy

2013 2018

1.0 Vision and Strategic Aims

Our Vision is: To prevent and respond to homelessness by ensuring that we provide a range
of effective targeted services that respond to our customer needs

We have 4 key strategic aims:

Strategic Aim 1 Preventing and relieving homelessness through a robust partnership
approach

We are aware that in order to provide cost-effective and responsive services we cannot work in
isolation. We will deliver our services in partnership with our voluntary and statutory sector partners to
provide the best possible solutions.

Strategic Aim 2 - Increasing access to safe, warm, healthy & affordable accommodation

We will continue to maximise the opportunities for differing accommodation choices for homeless
persons and person threatened with homelessness and continuing to increase the accommodation
choices available persons in housing need.

We will continue to develop and deliver a suitable private rented sector offer for all client groups that
includes support for both clients and landlords. We need to ensure that those most affected by the
welfare reforms are able to access a range of accommodation solutions and we will make best use of
the private rented sector.

Every resident of Peterborough should have access to safe warm healthy and affordable housing.
The ability to live in decent housing has prime influence on their quality of life, their life expectancy and
the opportunities available to the to work study and access leisure, sport and cultural activities.

Strategic Aim 3 Reduce and prevent rough sleeping

Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness and where people are the most vulnerable.
We will continue to build on our partnership approach to reducing and relieving rough sleeping. This
work will include projects that will enable the city to deliver the No Second Night Out principles.

Strategic Aim 4 - Promoting settled lifestyles and sustainable communities

Ensuring that homeless households are given the support to resettle within the community and thrive
through purpose and encouragement.

2.0 Introduction

This is our third refresh of the Homelessness Strategy and sets out the strategic aims for Peterborough
City Council and its partners for tackling and preventing homelessness between 2013 and 2018.

The strategy has been developed within the context of national and local issues and identifies four
strategic aims that will drive forward the homelessness agenda in the coming years in Peterborough.

The Homelessness Act 2002 placed a duty on local authorities to develop a Homelessness Strategy
and to renew this every five years.

The previous Homelessness Strategy published in 2008 made an important contribution to both
tackling and preventing homelessness in Peterborough. The strategy built on partnership working
whilst maximising homeless prevention opportunities and contributed to an increase in homeless

preventions.


The key achievements from the 2008 Strategy include;

Mortgage Rescue Scheme established and assisted 27 households who would have
become homeless without intervention.
Multi-Agency rough sleeping Task and Targeting Group established in April 2010.
All homeless persons provided with information on where they can register with a GP.
Framework established for Unlawful Evictions and 3 successful convictions achieved.
Rough Sleeper database established with multi-agency viewing rights.
Tenancy Relations Officer post created and recruited to.
2010 Temporary Accommodation target action plan created and implemented.
Notification system established to notify the Local Education Authority (LEA) within 10
working days when children in temporary accommodation are not attending school.
Continued prevention of homelessness with partners
Waiting times reduced by new delivery of Housing Needs Service.
All homeless persons attending the Housing Needs service are signposted to Peterborough
Streets Day Centre and other support services.

This strategy will to build on our achievements whilst strengthening our partnerships and seek to
address our new challenges.

With the 2002 Homelessness Act, the government made homelessness prevention a priority by
providing increased funding to tackle homelessness, setting challenging targets for prevention and
placing requirements on local housing authorities to produce Homelessness Strategies. The
Homelessness strategy was to be informed by a review of performance, current service provision and
estimated future need. The Act stated that the focus of these strategies was to be on prevention
measures, as well as emphasising the importance of offering advice to all people in housing need.

There are a number of National strategies and guidance that have helped to shape this Homelessness
Strategy these include:

Making every contact count: A joint approach to preventing homelessness (2012) sets ten local
challenges for housing authorities to ensure that every contact local agencies make with vulnerable
people and families really counts to ensure that we prevent households, regardless of household make
up from reaching a crisis point where they are faced with homelessness.

Sustainable Communities: settled homes; changing lives (2005): Homelessness Prevention, reduction
in the use of temporary accommodation by 50% by 2010, from 2010 B&B no longer suitable for 16/17
year olds.

Sustainable Communities: Homes For All (2005): Choice Based Lettings schemes in all local
authorities in England by 2010.

Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM), September 2009

Tackling Homelessness (2006): recognises the role of registered providers of social housing in
preventing homelessness through partnership working, sustainable communities, allocation and
management policies and better use of existing stock.

No One Left Out: Communities Ending Rough Sleeping (Nov 2008): aimed to end rough sleeping in UK
for more than one night by 2012.


No Second Night Out. This government plan sets out six joint commitments to ensure multi agency
working to give local people the tools to tackle rough sleeping and put an end to second nights out on
the street.

Developing Homelessness Strategies, Specialist Advisors Local Authority Toolkit, December 2012

We have embraced homelessness prevention and have made considerable progress with developing
tools and services that are able to maximise our opportunities to prevent homelessness. During
2011/12 we prevented homelessness for 206 households and relieved homelessness for 48
households.

We will continue to build on our partnerships and will develop innovative ways to deliver services and
prevent homelessness alongside addressing the impact of Welfare Reform.

There is an unprecedented amount of policy and economic change that will impact on homelessness
during the life of this strategy. Preparing for the impact of welfare and policy reform will be a key
priority.

The Localism Act 2011 brings local authorities more freedom and flexibility in the allocation of social
housing through being able to reorganise how housing registers are managed to reflect local need. The
private rented sector will be able to be used to bring the main homelessness duty to an end.

These changes will enable local authorities to make flexible decisions on accommodation and whether
the need can be met adequately without the offer of social housing. In adopting this new approach the
valuable resource of social housing will be freed up for those in the greatest need.

Registered Providers will be able to create new forms of tenure. Tenancies for life for new social
housing tenants can be replaced by fixed term flexible tenancies of two, five or 10 years renewable
depending on household circumstances.

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduced a wide range of initiatives to make the benefits system fairer
and easier to navigate, with the overarching emphasis of getting people back into work, and making
work pay.

However, these changes are likely to have a negative impact on levels of homelessness across the
country. These changes are:

Change to the Shared Room Rate

Since April 2012 those under 35 will only be eligible for housing benefit to rent a room in shared
accommodation. This will mean an increase in demand for cheaper accommodation more often than
not family dwellings, which have been converted into houses in multiple occupation. These properties
have to meet minimum standards and should be licensed.

Change to Local Housing Allowance Rates [LHA]

Also since April 2012, LHA rates have been increased annually in line with the Consumer Price Index
instead of being varied by the average market rents in an area. These levels have previously been
changed from being set at 50% of the average rent in the broad market rental area (BMRA) to 30%.
This has meant benefit claimants are now only able to afford three out of ten properties in the private
rented sector.

The effective change is that households may have a shortfall in available funds to pay rent. Raising
awareness of these changes to those affected will be essential, Discretionary Housing Payments may
be able to assist with short term shortfalls.

April 2013 saw the introduction of the a size criteria. This only applies in the social rented sector (eg
council and housing association properties) for working age tenants replicating the size criteria that
applies to housing benefit claimants in the private sector under LHA rules.

This means that people living in houses larger than they need (under occupiers) will have to move
somewhere smaller or make up the difference in rent because their housing benefit will be reduced.

There is a 14% cut for those deemed to be under occupying by one bedroom and a 25% for those
under occupying by two or more bedrooms.

Capping Local Housing Allowance

Changes in the LHA rates in April 2012 removed the 5 bedroom rate. This meant that households living
in a five bedroom or more property are now only be able to claim up to the maximum rate for a four
bedroom property. This means that large families renting in the private rented sector may have a
shortfall in rent if they are living in a property with more than four bedrooms.

Universal Credit 2013

Will bring households benefit payment including housing cost into one single payment for people of
working age. Direct payments to landlords will cease. This will result in landlords having no guarantee
that rent will be paid and will directly impact of the numbers of private sector landlords willing to
consider claimants alongside a possible increase in rent arrears that may lead to eviction and
homelessness.

The Benefit Cap 2013

The benefit cap will apply to people aged 16 - 64 of working age receiving benefits including housing
cost. The benefit cap will ensure that families who are not engaged in employment do not receive more
in benefits than the average working family. Maximum benefits will be set at 26,000 annum for
couples & 18,000 per annum for singles out of work.

All the above will place additional strain on services, whilst households struggle to cope with their
income reductions and struggle to meet their housing costs. Additionally, public spending cuts,
changes to the Housing Allocations policy to reflect localism, the introduction of affordable rents, new
forms of tenure and the impact of un-ring fenced supporting people funding and imminent reductions
that this will bring offer further challenges for the delivery of services. We will continue to monitor the
impact of these changes through the Homelessness Strategy Steering Group and when necessary
update the Strategy to tackle the impacts.

Changes to the homelessness duty In November 2012, as a result of the Localism Act 2011, the
law changed and gave Councils the power to discharge their homelessness duty into suitable
accommodation with a private landlord.

However, in order for the offer to be considered suitable the property and landlord must meet certain
minimum standards.

The Council must be of the view that the accommodation is in a reasonable physical condition; that the
landlord has taken reasonable fire safety precautions; has taken reasonable precautions to prevent the
possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in the accommodation; the landlord is a fit and proper person;
the property has a valid energy performance certificate (EPC) and gas safety certificate and that the
tenancy is for a minimum fixed term of 12 months. Where applicants become homeless again within
two years, the original authority will retain the duty. This homelessness strategy fits with the overall
housing strategy framework

Strategic Aim 1 - Prevent homelessness and reduce levels of homelessness against the main causes for presentations
through evidence based research and resource allocation

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.1
Deliver early
intervention to
prevent
homelessness
1. Increase the number of households
where homelessness is prevented
or relieved by advice provided.
Increase number of homelessness
preventions reported in P1E return
by 20% year on year.

3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping

4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Housing Needs

Housing Needs Information
& Data Officer
1. Utilise the PCC website, the
Peterborough Homes website and
web-kiosks in the customer service
centre to provide information
relating to private sector landlords,
social housing, tenant and landlord
rights, direct access hostels,
supported accommodation and
homelessness.
Develop universal text that can be
used across all media types and
update the relevant web pages by
the end of December 2013


Rob Smith Housing
Needs Review &
Procedures Officer

Housing Needs
Information & Data Officer
2. Develop information pages for non-
priority homeless persons.
Produce information text for the
web pages and upload by the end
of August 2013

Rob Smith Housing
Needs Review &
Procedures Officer

Housing Needs
Information & Data Officer
3. Update the PCC web pages to
include details of private sector
landlords who are accredited with
contact information and types of
property they offer.
Produce the accredited landlords
list and upload to the PCC website
by the end Oct 2013.

Update the list monthly to ensure
it is current

Adam Cliff Empty Homes
Officer

Housing Needs
Information & Data Officer
1.2
Develop self-
help tools for
those able to
turn information
into action.

4. Add pages to the PCC website
detailing, which private sector
landlords who have been
prosecuted in the last 12 months to
prevent flow of tenants towards
poor landlords.
Produce a list of landlord
prosecuted and upload to the
PCC website by the end
December 2013.

Update the list monthly to ensure
it is current.
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation

Joanne Hodges Senior
Enforcement Officer

Gareth Brighton Housing
Needs Tenancy Relations
Officer

Housing Needs
Information & Data Officer

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
5. Produce a potential tenant checklist
detailing what to look for when
viewing properties i.e. EPC, gas
safe certificate, security, working
heating
Produce information text for the
checklist for the web pages and
upload by the end of August 2013

Joanne Hodges Senior
Enforcement Officer

Gareth Brighton Housing
Needs Tenancy Relations
Officer
1. Ensure continued funding to
maintain the current Single
Homeless Project Officer Role in
the Housing Needs team or ensure
the knowledge and working
practices are transferred across the
rest of the Housing Needs Team.
Continued funding for role agreed
or roles and responsibilities of the
Single Homeless Project Officer
are distributed amongst the
remaining members of the
Housing Needs Team

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Jurga Tonkuniene
Housing Needs Single
Homeless Project Officer
1.3
Offer a
comprehensive
prevention
service, with
advice and
support for
single people as
well as families
in need
2. Demonstrate effectiveness of the
role in order to support bid for
funding of role by producing report
to show number of single persons
supported into accommodation and
employment since 2012
Report produced demonstrating
the effectiveness of the role by the
end of December 2013
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation

3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping


Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Jurga Tonkuniene
Housing Needs Single
Homeless Project Officer
1. Establish working group through the
Financial Inclusion Forum.
Working group established by the
end June 2013

Leonie McCarthy Social
Inclusion Manager

RSL partners

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager
2. Carry out research to establish jam
jar scheme.
Research completed and
information/literature is made
available for clients by the end
August 2013

Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager
1.4
Work with RSL
partners to
develop an
action plan to
minimise
homelessness
as a result of
welfare reform
and the
introduction of
universal credit
3. Set up jam jar scheme for RSL
tenants in receipt of welfare
benefits.
Ensure Jam Jar scheme is
available to all renting tenants
prior to the introduction of
universal credit in October 2013
None

Leonie McCarthy Social
Inclusion Manager

RSL partners

Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager
1.5
Improve
partnership
working, joined
up services,
communication
1. Develop a joint training programme
for front line staff.

Training Matrix developed and
delivered to all front line housing
staff by the end March 2014.

Develop a basic training
None
Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Rob Smith Review &
Procedures Officer

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
programme for customer service
and childrens services staff to be
introduced as part of their
induction by the end of July 2014.
2. Ensure all forums and meetings
focus on improving communication,
dispelling myths, joint working and
assessing good practice.

Ensure attendance at relevant
forums/meeting by March 2014

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Housing Needs Team
3. Develop a training programme
specifically around private sector
landlords, houses in multiple
occupation and selective licensing
to be delivered to partner services.
Training Programme developed
and schedule completed to deliver
to partners by December 2013.

1
st
round of training delivered by
August 2014

Joanne Hodges Senior
Enforcement Officer

Gareth Brighton Housing
Needs Tenancy Relations
Officer
and
understanding of
homelessness
and housing
issues at an
operational
level.
4. Develop and deliver training
courses/drop in question and
answer sessions (with appropriate
advertising) for private sector
landlords to provide education on
the legislation relating to housing
standards, houses in multiple
occupation, selective licensing,
tenancy relations.
Training Programme developed
and schedule completed to deliver
to private sector landlords by
March 2014.

1
st
round of training delivered by
December 2014

Joanne Hodges Senior
Enforcement Officer

Gareth Brighton Housing
Needs Tenancy Relations
Officer
1. Produce questionnaire to establish
reasons for evictions, etc.
Questionnaire produced by
September 2013

2. Contact Court to establish top 10
private sector landlords applying for
possession orders.
Contact made with court and
information obtained by November
2013

1.6
Reduce number
of homeless
presentations as
a result of
private sector
landlords taking
possession
action through
s.21 accelerated
possession
procedure to
end an Assured
Shorthold
Tenancy
3. Distribute questionnaires to Top 10
and through the Landlords Forum
Questionnaires distributed by
January 2014
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Carole Wheatley
Information & Data Officer

Private Sector Landlords

Peterborough County
Court


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
4. Responses collated and key
findings used to develop prevention
tools.
Responses collated and findings
examined. Recommendations
considered by April 2014

1. Continue to maximise the
Governments Mortgage Rescue
Scheme
Continue to promote the
Governments mortgage rescue
scheme with a view to increasing
the uptake by 20% until the
scheme ceases during 2013/14

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Hayley Flaxman HNO
Mortgage Specialist
2. Develop systems to identify
households at risk of homelessness
due to mortgage arrears at an early
stage
Develop procedures for dealing
with pre action notifications
received from mortgage lenders to
engage with households before
possession action in the courts is
taken by August 2013

Hayley Flaxman HNO
Mortgage Specialist
1.7
Provide tailored
advice to
homeowners at
risk of
homelessness
Reduce the
number of
homeless
presentations
due to mortgage
arrears.
3. Develop the role of a Housing
Needs Officer specialising in
mortgage advice.
Provide training to the mortgage
specialist to assist clients in
exiting homeownership where
homelessness prevention is not
possible by December 2013

2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager
1. Develop literature to dispel myths
with regard to youth homelessness
Literature produced, uploaded to
the PCC website and available in
the Customer Service Centre by
January 2014

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

PCC Media Team
2. Work with supported housing
providers to maximise opportunities
for young people to access
accommodation
Develop a local supported
housing allocations panel to
manage referrals and
accommodation pathways to
ensure appropriate allocations of
accommodation at supported
housing projects by March 2014

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Supported Housing
Providers

3. Work with voluntary sector
organisations to support a bid to re-
establish education in schools
programme
Training programme established
and agreement made with
education to include on the PHSE
programme by March 2014

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Education
1.8


Reduce the
number of
homeless
presentations
due to parents
no longer willing
to accommodate
their children.
4. Work with Childrens social services
to develop a protocol to ensure all
16/17 year olds who present to the
authority are dealt with via joint
assessment process at the point of
Introduce protocol and integrate
joint assessments by April 2013
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities
Sean Evans - Housing
Needs Manager

Wendi Ogle-Welbourne
Assistant Director

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
crisis. Childrens Services

Adolescent Intervention
Service
5. Develop information on the reality
of private renting (info on houses in
multiple occupation, rent and top
ups, pictures etc on the reality of
house sharing, managing on limited
income, pitfalls to watch out for etc
aimed at young people and which
can be used to try and prevent
homelessness and offered in
schools as training under PSHE
sessions
Information produced and
agreement made with education
to provide info include on the
PHSE programme by March 2014

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Education
1.9
Review the
prison release
procedure to
maximise the
opportunities to
prevent
homelessness
1. Review the current prison release
procedures and produce a protocol,
which ensures prisoners who will
be NFA on release have
information relating to housing prior
to release.


Procedure for NFA persons
agreed and implemented by
September 2013


3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping

Sarah Scase Housing
Needs Officer

HMP Peterborough

The One Service

1.10
Take steps to
reduce the
number of
homeless
presentations
due to friends
and relatives no
longer willing to
accommodate
1. Integrate home visits into the
process of taking a homeless
application.

2. 2. Produce literature detailing
alternative housing options and
assist households with alternatives
prior to them becoming homeless.
Integrated visits established by
December 2013

Literature produced and made
available by January 2014

3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

PCC Media Team

1.11
Take steps to
reduce the
number of
homeless
presentations
due to hospital
discharges.
1. Refresh, agree and implement Hospital
Discharge Protocol.

2. Stop Hospital discharges to Bayard
Place
Hospital Discharge Protocol
implemented and discharges to
Bayard Place stopped by March
2014.
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Peterborough City Hospital

CPMHT

Jeanette Gibson Housing
Medical Advisor

Adult Social Care -
Transfer of Care Team

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.12
Research the
development of
an eviction
prevention fund
using funds from
Homelessness
Grant to prevent
families
becoming
homeless.
1. Carry out research to establish
average level of rent arrears for families
presenting as homeless.

2. Project cost of piloting scheme to
provide interest free loan to repay rent
arrears and stay in current
accommodation.

3. Present cost of establishing scheme
against cost of accommodating in
temporary accommodation.

4. Establish scheme.
Research completed by August
2014

Report produced with
recommendations by October
2014

Reduction in homeless
presentations and use of
temporary accommodation year
on year





None








Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Carole Wheatley
Intelligence & Data Officer
1.13
Carry out
quarterly
Mystery shopper
exercise on all
Housing
Services.
1. Work with partner agencies to carry
out quarterly mystery shopper exercise.

2. Utilise results of mystery shopping
experience to improve service

3. Review outcomes to ensure all
services are acting on results
Mystery shopper exercises
produced and timetables
completed by October 2013

1
st
round of exercises completed
by March 2014

90% satisfaction ratings achieved
by March 2015

None
Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Sharon Malia Housing
programmes Manager

Russell Carr Care &
Repair Manager

Partner Agencies
1.14
Work with Drink
sense to
consider options
for community
detox for alcohol
dependant
tenants at risk of
homelessness
1. Arrange meeting with Drinksense to
establish feasibility of community detox.

2. Conclude on feasibility of establishing
community detox for this group.
Meeting arranged and discussions
completed by November 2013

Feasibility established by January
2014
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Drinksense

RSL Partners





1.15
Research
reasons for
repeat
homelessness
and develop an
action plan to
work to reduce
levels
1. Analyse applications and produce
report for the reasons of repeat
homelessness within the last 12 months.

2. Develop action plan
Reasons for repeat homelessness
established by December 2013

Action plan developed by March
2014

Repeat Homelessness numbers
reduced year on year
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping


Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Carole Wheatley
Intelligence & Data Officer


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.16
Review staff
training and
requirements for
all Housing
needs staff and
develop staff
training plans
1. Review individuals training history and
training needs.

2. Establish individuals training plan.
Training identified and matrix
drawn up by October 2013
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Rob Smith Review &
Procedures Officer
1.17
Invest time and
resources into
regional and
national joint
working through
appropriate
representation.
1. Attend Regional Homelessness
meetings.

2. Attend national and regional seminars.

3. Work with Homeless Link to ensure
knowledge of national and regional good
practice.
Ensure representation at both
regional meetings and national
and regional seminars by
December 2013

3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

1.18
Promote
homelessness
prevention as
the cornerstone
of Housing and
maximise
prevention
opportunities
through
utilisation of the
available
homelessness
prevention grant
1. Maximise opportunities to prevent
homelessness by Housing Needs staff
utilising Homelessness Prevention Fund
in innovative and creative ways.

2. Promote homelessness prevention
amongst other council departments and
partners
A 20% increase in the number of
homelessness preventions
recorded year on year throughout
the life of the strategy.


None
Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

All Housing Needs Officers
1.19

Ensure
applicants
experiencing
difficulties in
meeting their
housing costs
are able to
access
appropriate
specialist advice
1. Map current debt advice provision
available in the city and analyse referral
data

2. Prioritised advice for those who are
threatened with homelessness within the
next 28 days because of debt
management issues

3. Produce an information leaflet for
service users to advise what is available
and where
Debt advice mapping exercise
completed by September 2013

Ensure prioritised debt advice
remains available for clients faced
with homelessness throughout the
period of the strategy

Information leaflet produced and
information made available on the
PCC website by the end of
December 2013
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Hayley Flaxman Housing
Needs Officer

Citizens Advice Bureau

Salvation Army

PCC Media Team


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.20
Take
appropriate
steps to ensure
that following
the removal of
the eligibility for
the 1 bedroom
LHA rate for
people aged
between 25 34
those who fall
into the
exemption
categories are
aware of the
exemptions and
how to apply.
1. Produce information on the exemption
groups and make it available in the
customer service centre and on the PCC
website.

2. Create and maintain a list of hostels
that meet the DWP guidance to be
excluded from housing benefit reforms.

Produce Literature and upload to
PCC website by March 2014.

List produced by August 2013


3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping


Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

All Housing Needs Officers

Serco Housing Benefits
1.21
Work with
partner RSLs
and private
sector landlords
to develop a
tenant at risk
panel to identify
at earliest
opportunity
vulnerable
tenants at risk of
homelessness.
1. Establish a working group including
RSLs and key private sector landlords in
the city.

2. Develop procedures to increase
opportunities to prevent homelessness.

3. Utilise information through a Task and
Targeting working group.

At risk panel established and
terms of reference and
procedures established by the end
August 2013

3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Rob Smith Review &
Procedures Officer
RSL partners

Private Sector Landlords

1.22
Work with RSL
partners to
develop a
training flat for
those who have
experienced
previous
tenancy failure.
1. Contact LAs and Homeless Link to
establish good practice when setting up
training flat.

2. Investigate outcomes from MEAM
training flat in Cambridge.

3. Establish a working group including
partner agencies and RSLs to develop
training flat.
Pathway developed for those who
are excluded from
accommodation because of
behaviour or previous tenancy
sustainment issues by October
2013

Accommodation and support is
available for vulnerable persons
whose behaviour does not meet
social norms and who are
currently excluded from hostels by
March 2014
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

RSL partners

CPMHT

Housing Related Support

Adult Social Care

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.23
Ensure that the
Housing Needs
Service
continues to be
able to utilise
part of DHP pot
as a
homelessness
prevention tool.
1. Ensure that Housing Needs
contributes to the review and
development of the DHP policy.

2. Maintain current access arrangements
Continued use of the DHP pot to
prevent homelessness through
the life of the strategy
None
Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

PCC Serco Client Team

Serco Housing Benefit
1.24
Raise
awareness of
Impact of
welfare benefit
reforms and
discharging of
duty into the
private rented
sector.
1. Deliver information workshop to
partner agencies.

2. Printed Information produced for the
public

3. Information uploaded to the PCC
website
Information workshops delivered
by end December 2013

Information leaflets produced by
the end of October 2013

Info uploaded to the OPCC
website by November 2013
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping


Sarah Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager

Housing Needs Officers
1.25
Set up and
facilitate
quarterly
Homelessness
Strategy review
& steering group
meetings
1. Facilitate Homelessness Strategy
Steering Groups on a quarterly basis.
Strategy Steering Groups
established and delivered
quarterly from adoption of the
strategy to its conclusion
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities


Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Sarah Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing Needs
Manager
1.26
Promote
homelessness
prevention on a
strategic level
with partner
RSLs through
the CBL
Operations
Board
1. Continue to develop prevention
agenda through the RSL partners
Operations Board

2. Develop and implement pre eviction
protocols with all partners

A reduction in RSL eviction
resulting in rent arrears year on
year throughout the life of the
strategy
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

RSL Partners


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
1.27
Mortgage
Scheme for first
time buyers
1. Maximise opportunities for first time
buyers to access Lloyds TSB Mortgage
Scheme through promotion of scheme as
a real option.
An increase in the number of first
time buyers accessing Lloyds TSB
Mortgage Scheme.
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities
Stephen Pilsworth
1.28
Work with Job
Centre Plus to
identify key
persons as a
contact for all
homeless
persons
1. Identify contact at Jobcentre and
arrange to meet.

2. Establish joint working procedures.

3. Protocol agreed and implemented.
Contact identified and protocol
established by end March 2014
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping


Sarah Scase HNO
Rough Sleeper Outreach
1.29
Ensure the
needs of
homeless
people are
considered in
relevant
strategies
1. Attend meeting and events to ensure
homeless persons are considered in all
local strategies.
Housing representations at key
meetings and events by end
December 2013
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities


Belinda Child Strategic
Housing Manager

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager
1.30
Ensure effective
referral
processes
between
Housing and
Childrens
Specialist
Services

1. Develop protocol and joint working
procedures.

2. Deliver joint training to Housing Needs
and Childrens Services.

3. Implement protocol and joint working.

4. Review on a quarterly basis.
Protocol and joint working
procedures established.

Joint training delivered.

Protocol implemented.

Quarterly reviews completed.

2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Sean Evans Housing
Needs Manager

Wendi Ogle Welbourne -
Childrens Services
1.31
Deliver
Sanctuary
Scheme work to
enable the
victims of
domestic
violence to
continue to live
Work allocated on receipt and completed
in a timely manor.
Work allocated on receipt and
completed in 7 days for < 200
jobs 14 days for 200 - 500 and
28 days > 500
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Russ Carr
Housing Options
Vetted Contractors


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
in their current
homes
preventing
violence and
homelessness.
1.32
To deliver
benefits advice
to care & repair
clients and
where
appropriate refer
on to expert
advice services.
The aim is to
maximise the
income of
vulnerable
people to enable
them to maintain
their tenancies
or freeholds and
not fall into
arrears which
prevents illness
and
homelessness.
Staff trained in the changes April and Oct
2013
To check benefit entitlement in all
grant cases and increase income
for over 30 clients in 2013/14
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable
communities

Agency Caseworkers
Housing Programmes
Ferret Systems
DIAL
1.33
Provide advice
and refer clients
to other services
to ensure they
are housed in
suitable, safe
and warm
properties
n/a
Refer on 500 clients in the final
year
None Russ Carr
1.34
Maintain
Housing Related
Support funding
to focus on
preventing
homelessness
by developing a
supported
housing
pathway
1. Continue to fund support staff
delivering housing related support in
hostel settings, delivering drop services
and delivering floating, outreach support.

2. Re-design services to deliver support
in hostels to move on accommodation to
independent accommodation with floating
support in order to achieve an effective
pathway of support to obtain and
maintain suitable accommodation in both
Funding for Housing Related
Support is maintained at existing
levels throughout the life of the
strategy

A clear pathway of support to
tenancy sustainment is achieved

An increase of clients moving
through the support services into
independent accommodation and
2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable

Sharon Malia Housing
Programmes Manager

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets
Linked Strategic
Aims
Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
the social and private rented sector for
the vulnerable client groups supported.


a reduction in homeless
presentations
communities
1.35
Maintain a
strategically
placed Home
Improvement
Agency
1. Ensure the Home Improvement
Agency continues to operate within
Strategic Housing to ensure effective
processes and procedures, data sharing
and decision making is maintained and
enhanced.



2. Increasing
access to safe,
warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation
3. Reduce and
prevent rough
sleeping
4. Promoting
settled lifestyles
and sustainable

Belinda Child Strategic
Housing Manager


Strategic Aim 2 - Increasing access to safe, warm, healthy & affordable accommodation

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
2.1
Maximise
opportunities for
persons accessing
private rented sector
accommodation
1. Promote and develop Rent
Deposit Scheme.

2. Work with Peterborough Streets
to maximise referrals of single
persons to Crisis Private Rented
Sector scheme.

3. Work with partners to make best
use of funding sources
Increase in the number of Rent
Deposits awarded year on year
throughout the life of the strategy.

Increase in the number of persons
assisted by Peterborough Streets
while Crisis funding is maintained
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Sarah
Hebblethwaite -
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Peterborough
Streets

Axiom Housing
Association

2.2

Develop relationships
with private sector
landlords
1. Improve relations with private
sector landlords through education
delivered by Tenancy Relations
Officer.

2. Ensure attendance at the
Housing benefit private sector
landlords forum & the quarterly NLA
meetings.

3.Carry out survey with private
sector landlords to establish barriers
and suitable solutions in
encouraging them to rent to
households who may be in receipt
of benefit.
Increase in the number of private
sector landlords working with the
Housing Needs service.

Ensure attendance at the Housing
benefit private sector landlords
forum & the quarterly NLA
meetings throughout the life of the
strategy


1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Gareth Brighton
HNO Tenancy
Relations

Private Sector
Landlords
2.3
Continue on-going
support, advice and
enforcement with
private sector
landlords to improve
housing conditions
and management.
1. Continue to work with private
sector landlords providing both
support and enforcement to improve
housing conditions.
Fewer homeless presentations as
a result of accommodation being
unreasonable for persons to
continue to occupy by December
2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Jo Hodges
Senior Housing
Enforcement
Officer

Housing Needs
Team
2.4
Promote and
encourage private
landlords to become
accredited with the
NLA and develop an
Approved Register of
Private Sector
1. Establish an Approved Private
Sector Landlords list.
2. Promote accreditation and
encourage good practice within the
private rented sector in the city.
Approved landlord list produced
and made available on the PCC
website by end August 2013
Landlord accreditation scheme
introduced with a substantial base
of landlords to further market and

4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities
Accreditation scheme
launched in February
2013, with some
landlords already signed
up, and further enquiries
received
Adam Cliff
Empty Homes
Officer
Carole Wheatley
Intelligence &

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
Landlords in the city. promote the scheme by march
2014
Data Officer
2.5
To increase housing
stock availability
through the reuse of
empty homes.
1. To promote and actively market
the Empty Homes Partnership to
empty home owners.
2.To increase interest in the
scheme through members, the
public and through media release
To increase stock availability by
introducing a minimum of 100
properties to the scheme, and
have them let through the CBL
system.
Promote the scheme so that all
those eligible are aware of what is
on offer to them
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Currently, there is one
lease signed and in the
hands of Cross Keys for
refurbishment, with a
further two in the pipeline
to join the scheme in the
near future.
Adam Cliff
Empty Homes
Officer
2.6
Explore options for
the development of
supported lodgings
scheme

1. Contact YMCA to discuss the
feasibility of establishing supported
lodging in line with model currently
operated in Cambridgeshire.

2. Develop report to outline costs,
savings to be made and
recommendations for establishing
model of supported lodgings.

3.Establish a supported lodging
scheme in Peterborough.

Discussion undertaken by end
March 2014

Report produced by end August
2014

Scheme established by

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

YMCA
2.7
Maximise the
opportunities for the
best use of social
housing stock

1. Refresh of Bedrooms Standards
Policy in line with welfare reforms.

2. Promote the benefits of CBL2
and maximise the opportunities it
brings to improve the CBL
experience for customers

Bedroom Standards Policy
refreshed.

CBL2 established.

August 2013
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Sean Evans
Housing Needs
Manager
2.8
Refresh of allocations
policy
1. Re-write allocations policy to
reflect changes as a result of
localism and housing needs.
New Allocation Policy agreed and
implemented by August 2013

Northgate Housing System
upgraded to latest supported
version and maintained by
December 2013
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Sean Evans
Housing Needs
Manager

Northgate

Serco ICT

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
2.13
Explore options for
rooms in a Home
where the Landlord
befriends

1. Investigate good practice in this
area.

2. Explore feasibility through
voluntary and faith based groups.

3. Identify suitable Landlords and
pilot for 6 months.
Investigations complete by March
2014

Feasibility established.

Scheme piloted by March 2015

4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

All voluntary
sector and faith
based partners
2.14
Process Disabled
Facility Grant
applications to assist
aged & disabled
adults & children to
live independently to
the full extent the
budget allows.
Continued flow of applications
throughout the financial year in line
with quarterly targets
Spend 100% of the DFG budget in
2013/14


1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Russ Carr
Occupational
Therapy
Housing
Programmes
Vetted
Contractors
Supporting People
2.15
Install Minor Aids &
Adaptations to assist
aged & disabled
adults & children to
live independently
Continued delivery to June. New
contract tender and award by 1
June 2013. Continued delivery to
April 2014
Delivery A&A in line with contract
details in 2013/14


4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Suzanne
Baronowski
Occupational
Therapy
Vetted
Contractors

2.16
To deliver the Repairs
Assistance
programme to
improve HHSRS
defect in properties of
vulnerable people to
enable them continue
to live safely in their
homes.
Continued flow of applications
throughout the financial year in line
with quarterly targets
Spend 100% of the RA budget in
2013/14


1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities


Russ Carr
Housing
Programmes
Vetted
Contractors
Supporting People
2.17
Complete Repairs &
Disabled Adaptation
work that is privately
funded. To ensure
properties are
suitable for the
resident to continue to
live in.
Steady flow of work throughout the
year.
Undertake 20 jobs in the 2013/14
financial year.

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Agency Surveyors
2.18
Find alternate funding
to assist with disabled
facility and repairs
grant work to enable
independent living.
Continues work privately funded or
part funded e.g. client/charitable
contributions
Achieve 100,000 of alternate
funding in 2013/14

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and

Agency
Caseworkers


Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
sustainable
communities
2.19
Delivery Disabled
Relocation Grants to
allow disabled adults
and children to
remain living at home.
Completion of identified cases
without delay
Completion of all identified cases
in 2013/14 within 4 weeks of
identification of an alternate
property.
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Russ Carr
Housing
Programmes
Housing Options
Vetted
Contractors
2.20
Maximise supply of
available housing by
bringing empty homes
back into use
1. Identification of suitable
properties for the Empty Homes
Partnership with Cross Keys Homes

2. Identification of nuisance , long
term empty properties for potential
enforcement action including
Empty Dwelling Management
Orders, Enforced Sale and
Compulsory Purchase

3. To investigate all reported empty
property and to negotiate, advise
and monitor owners to bring back
the properties into use through
informal means

4. To raise awareness of the Empty
Homes issue and to promote the
service and strategy to owners,
neighbours and those affected by
empty homes

100 properties brought back into
use through the Empty Homes
Partnership and available through
CBL by March 2015

80 properties brought back into
use and available through CBL
per annum




1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sharon Malia
Housing
Programmes
Manager

Adam Cliff
Empty Homes
Officer
2.21
Maximise
opportunities for
people to access
suitable
accommodation in the
private rented sector
1. Promote and encourage private
sector landlords to become
accredited on Peterboroughs
Accreditation Scheme run in
conjunction with the NLA

2. Work in conjunction with the NLA
to develop training materials and
packages to achieve skill and
knowledge development of
accredited landlords and encourage
Increase in number of accredited
landlords operating in the city

All properties operated by
accredited landlords meet the
suitability of accommodation
criteria and are free from Cat 1
hazards

Approved Register of private
rented sector properties is
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Adam Cliff Lead
Officer for
Accreditation

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
good practice within the private
rented sector

3. Ensure the suitability of
accommodation requirements are
met in properties used for
discharging duty
compiled and maintained
2.22
Provide Disabled
Facility Adaptations to
enable independent
living
1.Maintain the PCCs capital
programme for Disabled Facility
Grants at levels to meet anticipated
demand for adaptations

2. Provide reasonable and
practicable adaptations to meet the
long term housing needs of disabled
people

3. Match clients on the housing
register with medical priority to
appropriate properties becoming
available through CBL ensuring
existing adapted social housing is
fully utilised with minimal additional
adaptation required

4. Work with Occupational Therapy
and Housing Programmes to
identify suitable solutions for young
disabled people living in fully
adapted parental homes to achieve
independence when parents report
difficulty with continuing care.

100% of capital programme for
Disabled Facility Grants is
achieved per annum

All adapted social housing is fully
utilised
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Sharon Malia
Housing
Programmes
Manager

2.23
Utilise Repairs
Assistance Funding to
enable vulnerable,
low income home
owners to remain
living in suitable
accommodation
1. Maintain the PCCs capital
programme for Repairs Assistance
at levels to meet anticipated
demand for assistance to remedy
Category 1 hazards in the home
100% of capital programme for
Repairs Assistance is achieved
per annum
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sharon Malia
Housing
Programmes
Manager



2.24
The continued
delivery of Works in
Default cases to
mitigate HHSRS
hazard in privately
Completion of identified work ad
hoc
Completion of all referrals within
the agreed time limits in 2013/14
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and

Russ Carr / Paul
Evans
Housing
Enforcement
Vetted

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
rented properties to
allow people to reside
in safe environments
and prevent
homelessness.
sustainable
communities

Contractors









































Strategic Aim 3 Reduce and prevent rough sleeping

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
3.1
Reduce flow of rough
sleepers
1. Work with partner agencies to
identify persons at risk of rough
sleeping.

2. Deliver training sessions to
partner agencies to prevent
homelessness including tenant
rights and responsibilities.


Risk factors identified and group
established to identify individuals
by August 2014

Training delivered by October
2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Sarah Scase
HNO Rough
Sleeper Outreach

Peterborough
Streets

Aspire

Drinksense

Police

UKBA

Housing Forum
members
3.2
Reduce incentives for
people to remain in
street based lifestyles
1. Work with police and city centre
services to reduce begging and
busking.

2. Work with faith-based sector to
ensure services are accessed by
the needy not the greedy to sustain
street based lifestyles.

3. Work with police and UKBA to
continue to carry out enforcement
action.
Reduction in anti social behaviour
in anti social behaviour and the
numbers of persons becoming
entrenched in street based
lifestyle

Ongoing
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Police

City Centre
Manager

Safer
Peterborough
Partnership

UKBA

3.3
Develop point of
arrest service to
persons with no fixed
abode.
1. Contact police to discuss risks,
positives, negatives of establishing
a point of arrest service.

2. Create and agree protocol using
good practice evidence.

3. Establish services to enable all
rough sleepers in custody are
Meet with police to discuss
feasibility of the service.

Protocol agreed.

Service established by March
2015

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sarah Scase
HNO Rough
Sleeping
Outreach

Police

UKBA

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
contacted by the rough sleeper
outreach officer.
3.4
Work with voluntary
sector organisations
to deliver No Second
Night Out.

1. Support partner agencies to
deliver NSNO through the funding
of the Homelessness Transitions
Fund.

NSNO implemented.

April 10th
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Partner Agencies

Axiom Housing
Association

Peterborough
Streets
3.5
Continue to work with
faith Sector to
develop services to
empower rough
sleepers to leave the
streets and not
sustain street based
lifestyles.

1. Map current service provision
provided by Faith Sector.

2. Identify gaps and duplicated
services.

3. Contact all Faith Based Groups
to deliver information training
including service awareness and
referral routes.

Faith sector provision mapped,
gaps identified and training
delivered by the end May 2014

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Sarah Scase
HNO Rough
Sleeper Outreach

All faith based
groups

3.6
Develop personalised
budgets for
entrenched rough
sleepers
1. Research and produce reports
identifying good practice and cost
based outcomes for personalised
budgets.

2. Identify persons to be considered
for personalised budgets and
project cost in line with pilot
projects.

3. Produce report on outcomes,
associated costs and feasibility of
establishing in Peterborough.

Personalised budgets established
for entrenched rough sleepers
developed by April 2014.
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
4. Promoting settled
lifestyles and
sustainable
communities

Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manger

Christine Spooner
-Homeless Link

Strategic Aim 4 - Promoting settled lifestyles and sustainable communities

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
4.1
Explore options for
developing
resettlement
programme for people
with substance
misuse
1. Arrange meeting with Aspire to
discuss resettlement programme.

2. Conclude on feasibility of
establishing programme.


Meeting arranged, and
discussions completed Feasibility
established and programme
established by January 2015

1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
3. Reduce and prevent
rough sleeping

Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Aspire
4.2
Work with partners on
a strategic level to
promote and develop
access to mental
health services for
homeless persons
1. Identify referral routes into mental
health assessment services

2. Ensure clients are referred into
services where required
Referral routes identified.

Referrals made and mapped to
progress provision by August
2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
3. Reduce and prevent
rough sleeping


Sean Evans
Housing Needs
Manager

CPMHT
4.3
Work with partners to
improve mental health
amongst homeless
persons
1. Identify level of support and map
services alongside opportunities for
improving mental health.
Supported mapped and
opportunities identified by October
2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Adult Social Care
Assertive
Outreach Team

4.4
Explore the need for
detoxification facilities
in Peterborough
1. Identify key partner agencies.

2. Map existing services and levels
of need.

3. Quantify cost of alcohol misuse to
the city.

4. Produce report outlining findings
and detailing clear
recommendations
Aims to enable that detoxification
facility are accessible to
vulnerable adults in the city
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working
3. Reduce and prevent
rough sleeping

The investment in detox
services should reduce
costs to homelessness
and health service by
contributing to minimising
harm and chaos
experienced by service
users.
Sarah
Hebblethwaite
Deputy Housing
Needs Manager

Drinksense

Safer
Peterborough
partnership
4.5
Continue to develop
joint working with the
Learning Disabilities
Partnership
1. Continue representation on the
learning disabilities partnership
board and associated forums

2. Ensure that service users with
learning disabilities receive the
required support to make
applications and obtain suitable
accommodation through the choice
based lettings scheme

Continued attendance at the
LDPB

Link into the service for the
accommodation officer in adult
social care to assist clients in
applying for accommodation

Literature produced and uploaded
to the PCC website by December
2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Hayley Flaxman
Housing Needs
Officer

Learning
Disabilities
Partnership Board

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
3. Develop literature relating to
services offered by Housing Needs
in easy read formats


4.6
Apply and utilise
available Warm
Homes & Healthy
People funding to
prevent excess winter
deaths, falls and
accidents and enable
people to live in warm
and safe homes
Dept of Health Announcement Oct
2013. Application Nov. Award Dec.
Application in Nov. If successful
full utilisation of funding Dec to
March 2014

Dec-March 2014
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Russ Carr Dept of
Health
PECT
Salvation Army
Age UK
Public Health
Housing
Programmes
Vetted Heating
Engineers
4.7
Deliver Heating
Grants to utilise the
entire budget to
enable people to
continue to lived
independently in
homes with adequate
heating and hot
water.
Continued flow of applications
throughout the financial year in line
with quarterly targets
Spend 100% of the Heating
budget in 2013/14
2. Increasing access to
safe, warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation

Paul Evans
Housing
Programme
WHHP
partnership.
HP scheme
Supporting People

4.8
Deliver a
Handyperson Service
to older & vulnerable
people to enable
people to continue to
live independently
The amount of Interventions and
spend at quarterly intervals
compared to targets
Help 3,000 people to live
independently in 2013/14 and up
to the allocated budget. Limit.
2. Increasing access to
safe, warm, healthy &
affordable
accommodation


Lorraine Game
Supporting
People.
Vetted
Handyperson
Contractors
Age UK
4.9
Ensure people who
are in fuel poverty or
are experiencing
difficulties in meeting
their energy costs are
signposted to
appropriate funding
streams and advice
services
1. Utilise the Winter Warmth
Partnership referral mechanism to
signpost eligible clients to:
Peterboroughs Collective Switching
Scheme
Care & Repair Benefit Entitlement
Checks
DIAL Benefit Entitlement Checks
Affordable Warmth ECO funding
through British Gas
Heating Grants through Care &
Repair
Peterborough Community
100% of capital programme for
Repairs Assistance allocated to
Heating measures is achieved per
annum

An increase in Affordable Warmth
ECO referrals into British Gas by
31
st
March 2015

ECO funded energy efficiency
improvements in pilot project
areas delivered by 31
st
March
2015
1. Preventing
homelessness through
partnership working


Sharon Malia
Housing
Programmes
Manager

Russ Carr Care
& Repair Manager

Objective Key Actions / Milestones SMART targets Linked Strategic Aims Progress
Lead Officer/Key
Partners
Assistance Scheme
CAB/Salvation Army for debt advice

2. Signpost eligible clients to ECO
and Green Deal funding
opportunities provided by the
Councils Strategic Partnership with
British Gas

An increase in Green Deal
Assessments being carried out
and Green Deals being taken up
in the LA area