One of big successes of the way we now work has been how we have been able to look after homeless people and their families, delivering better value for all council tax payers in the process.
When I became leader, Monmouthshire’s bill for keeping people in bed and breakfast and other temporary accommodation was spiralling out of control.
We started work immediately to change how we support and house homeless people. Our priorities are to prevent homelessness at the earliest opportunity, to increase the supply of affordable housing, to provide timely support to sustain accommodation and maximise resources through partnership.
We have made huge progress. Currently we are able to prevent homelessness in the majority of cases, and I urge anyone worried about their situation to contact our Housing Options team at an early stage. Where people do become homeless, we are housing them in rented or leased properties, purchased properties and soon, at Severn View in Chepstow, where we will also have everyday on-site support for those who need it.
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Our aim has been to offer homeless individuals and families good quality temporary accommodation that keeps them close to their work, their children’s schools and support, while they wait for a suitable permanent home.
We are seeking homes all over the county, recently purchasing properties in Abergavenny and focusing on meeting need in Monmouth, but also renting properties from local landlords. The number of households in bed and breakfast has fallen from over 100 to under 20, bringing an end to all our block contracts, and I hope that by the end of the year we will rarely need to use this method. We also provide a range of housing support to help tenants retain their tenancy and move forward in their lives as valued citizens in our communities.
We are making long-term investment in housing, supported by the Welsh Labour Government. This year alone we expect to invest over £10 million in building and buying affordable homes, working alongside housing associations who are also investing in building quality, sustainable homes.
The investment in preventing people from becoming homeless, providing quality temporary accommodation and support and increasing the stock of affordable homes provides good value, particularly when compared with the alternative which is the enormous human and financial cost of allowing people to become homeless.