Minutes:
Nicola Forsdyke, Exeter City Council’s Housing Options Manager and Adrian Staegemann and Ruth Tune of the Street Homeless Outreach Team reported on the results of the rough sleepers count in November 2014, the possible causes and solutions. The total number of homeless people sleeping on the streets had been counted at 34 - a 48% increase with 50% having a local connection to Exeter. Of the 34, two were female, 10 believed to have endured mental health issues, six with alcohol issues and two using legal highs and 10 entrenched in rough sleeping. The remaining 24 required assessment before placement and, of these, 11 had been identified as only wanting self contained accommodation but had very high support needs. The increase in female rough sleepers was a concern which was attributable, in part, to the closure of the Esther project for vulnerable women.
Exeter, along with East Devon, Mid Devon, Teignbridge and Torbay had obtained Single Homeless funding to assist this client group over the next year. Renewed efforts around the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) approach would focus on encouraging agencies to come together and resolve individual’s circumstances. Nicola confirmed that Exeter would receive the largest share of resources as it had the highest level of need.
Adrian and Ruth summarised the work of SHOT which undertook outreach work to those sleeping on the streets five nights and early mornings a week. The primary solution was to provide accommodation at Gabriel House which catered predominantly for those with complex needs, some 90% relating to alcohol and 95% with offending histories. It was constantly full with a current waiting list of 20.
Rough sleeping had been a problem for many years in Exeter and was increasing across the country with no easy solution to this complex and challenging problem. As with other urban areas, rough sleepers gravitated to Exeter where there were greater support opportunities for their lifestyle including health and accommodation resources.
It was becoming more difficult to work with some rough sleepers and the SHOT were seeing an increase in chaotic behaviour, some of which was linked to unmanaged substance misuse and mental health problems. Reductions and changes in service provision and a lack of outreach support in terms of health, mental health and substance misuse workers, was often resulting in non engagement by clients. Referring to the vulnerability of rough sleepers Superintendent Perkin mentioned the need to have regard, as far as possible, to their security. A more rigorous approach to discourage City Centre locations could lead to sanctuary being sought in more secluded and dangerous locations. Simon Bowkett referred to a number of organisations supporting the homeless across the country who were facing severe financial challenges and to the estimated cost of supporting one rough sleeper in Exeter, which, at £8,391, would total £285,000 for the 34 identified in November. He also reported a joint agency capital bid for £500,000 funding from Public Health England to assist in setting up a multi agency hub at Wat Tyler House.
Referring to MEAM, Integrated Care Exeter, the work of different local authority departments as well as the voluntary sector and recent changes in commissioning Members felt that an explanation of the different responsibilities and the role of the various bodies and individuals would be helpful.
RESOLVED that Nicola Forsdyke update the next Board on progress with MEAM including the latest position on rough sleepers together with representatives of the County Council commissioning team, with Mental Health officers if possible, to provide an overview of the support systems available.