About Scrutiny Panel Meetings
Scrutiny Panel meetings are usually held in public.
They give elected members, not on the Cabinet, an opportunity to
examine, discuss and make recommendations about significant issues
and decisions.
SCRUTINY PANEL 3- HOMELESSNESS (PRE DECISION
SCRUTINY)
1.
Purpose/Objectives of the
Review
- Pre-Decision
Scrutiny: To review how the Borough Council and its partners
prevent homelessness and respond to
those without homes in the borough
Key
Lines of Enquiry
Ø
To gain an
understanding of the work currently being undertaken by Northampton
Borough Council (NBC), partnerships, statutory and voluntary
organisations to address
homelessness
Ø
To assess the
extent of homelessness and rough sleeping in the
borough assess the initiatives currently
in place to tackle homelessness
Ø
To examine the
Council’s Severe Weather
Provision
Ø
To gain an understanding
of the effect on the health, wellbeing and the safety of
homelessness people, including rough
sleepers
Ø
To gain an
understanding of the causes and barriers to support homelessness
Ø
Identify any
specific groups that are
not accessing
services
2.
Outcomes Required
·
To reduce homelessness in the
borough of Northampton
·
An understanding
of the local authority homelessness role and the services provided
in Northampton
·
A review of
existing homelessness services in Northampton, in order to assess
their quality and effectiveness and identify any significant gaps
in service
3.
Information Required
·
Background data
·
Background reports
·
Best practice data
·
Desktop research
·
Evidence from expert internal
witnesses
·
Evidence from expert external
witnesses
·
Site visits (if applicable)
4.
Format of Information
·
Background data, including:
Ø
Presentation to set the
scene: To identify the prevalence of
the problem locally
Ø
Relevant national and local background
research papers
Ø
Definitions – Homelessness and
Rough Sleepers
Ø
Homelessness Legislation
Ø
Causes of Homelessness, including Rough
Sleeping
Ø
Relevant Council Policies and
Strategies
Ø
Statistics:
Rough sleeper data
Homelessness data
Ø
Relevant Legislation:
Welfare Reform Act 2012
Localism
Act 2011
Homelessness Act 2002
The Health and Social Care Act 2012
Ø
Relevant published papers on homelessness
and rough sleeping
·
Best practice external to
Northampton
·
Internal expert advisors:
Ø
Cabinet Member for Housing,
NBC
Ø
Housing Options and Advice Manager,
NBC
Ø
Head of Revenues and Benefits,
LGSS
Ø
Cabinet Member for Community Safety,
NBC
Ø
Chair of the Community Safety Partnership
(CSP) and the Community Safety Team
Ø
Case Managers, Anti-Social Behaviour
Unit
·
External expert advisors:
Ø
Head of Protecting Vulnerable Persons,
Northamptonshire Police
Ø
Director of Public Health,
Northamptonshire County Council
Ø
Manager, Hope Centre
Ø
Manager, Maple Access
Ø
Manager, NAASH
Ø
Drug and Alcohol Challenge Officer, the
Bridge
Ø
Operations Manager, Midland Heart Housing
Association
Ø
Service Manager, Salvation
Army
Ø
Chief Executive, Central Northamptonshire
CAB
Ø
Emmaus, Homelessness Charity
Ø
Shelter
Ø
Crisis
Ø
Healthwatch Northamptonshire
·
Site visit to temporary accommodation(s)
and Oasis House
5.
Methods Used to Gather
Information
- Minutes of
meetings
- Desktop
research
- Site
visits
- Officer
reports
- Presentations
- Examples
of best practice
- Witness
Evidence:-
Ø
Key witnesses
as detailed in section 4 of this scope
6.
Co-Options to the Review
·
Senior Officers, Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Homeless
Link to be approached suggesting that they are co-opted to this
Review for its life.
7. Community Impact
Screening Assessment
- A Community Impact Screening
Assessment to be undertaken on the scope of the Review
8. Evidence gathering
Timetable
May 2016
– March 2017
·
26 May 2016
- Scoping meeting
|
·
21 July
- Evidence gathering
·
22 September
- Evidence gathering
|
·
24 November
- Evidence gathering
|
·
26 January 2017
- Evidence gathering
·
30 March
- Approval final report
|
|
|
Various site visits will be programmed during this period, if
required.
Meetings to commence at 6.00 pm
9.
Responsible Officers
Lead Officer
Phil Harris, Head of Housing and Wellbeing
Co-ordinator
Tracy Tiff, Scrutiny Officer
10.
Resources and Budgets
Phil Harris, Head of Housing and Wellbeing,
to provide internal advice.
11.
Final report presented
by:
Completed by March
2017.
Presented by the Chair of the Panel to the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee and then to Cabinet.
12.
Monitoring procedure:
Review the impact of the report after six months (approximately
November/December 2017)
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