Cabinet approves plan to prevent homelessness

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has today (Wednesday 11 November) approved a plan which sets outs its priorities to prevent homelessness.

The plan recognises that since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 the council’s Housing Solutions team has been working on a crisis led model to deal with the increase in demands placed upon it.

Cabinet members have now approved a Homelessness Project Plan which will enable the service to review and refocus its priorities.   The document approved by Cabinet is an interim plan and will be superseded in 2022 by both the Caerphilly Council Homeless Strategy and the Rapid Rehousing Transitional Plan.

Key objectives of the plan are to provide a proactive and accessible service, by improving contact and communication, a focus on prevention to ensure swift access to accommodation and support services, and further actions to tackle rough sleeping.

The council is also undertaking a review of emergency accommodation to look at reducing the time spent in temporary housing and to better understand the barriers that prevent people moving on to longer term tenancies.

Enhancing and expanding Caerphilly Keys, the council’s pioneering social private rental initiative, is also included within the plan.  It recently launched its own website, in addition to securing funding from Welsh Government to provide additional homes for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Cllr Shayne Cook, the council’s Cabinet Member for Social Services and Housing, said “The Housing Solutions team worked exceptionally hard throughout the pandemic and should be congratulated on their efforts to ensure nobody was left without accommodation during such challenging times.

Today’s endorsement of the Homelessness Project Plan sets a clear vision for how we can build upon the team’s strengths and work with partners to further prevent homelessness and continue to support some of our most vulnerable residents.”