Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans Sub Group minutes: November 2019

Attendees and apologies

• John Mills, ALACHO (Chair)
• David Kemp, East Hub Rep
• Jacqueline Fernie, West Hub Rep
• Allan Jones, North and Islands Hub Rep
• Kathy Cameron, COSLA
• Zhan McIntyre, SFHA
• Tim Pogson, SHN
• Maggie Brunjes, GHN
• Yvette Burgess, Housing Support Enabling Unit
• Gary Fairley, Midlothian Council
• Catriona MacKean, Scottish Government
• Kevin Wilkie, Scottish Government
• Michaela Martincova, Scottish Government

External guests:

• Peter Knight, NHS - Information Services Division
• Neil Hamlet, NHS Fife
• Lucie Dunn, Crisis

Apologies

• Martin Smith, Tayside, Fife & Central Hub Rep
• Ruth Robin, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Ewan Aitken, Cyrenians
• Andrea Elliot, South West Hub Rep
• Marion Gibbs, Scottish Government

 

Items and actions

1.External presentation by Peter Knight, Strategic Lead for Integration and Primary Care, NHS, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland

Peter Knight’s presentation outlined ISD Scotland’s work on the Health and Homelessness data. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session covering the following topics: possibility of analysing and comparing the experiences of health and social care systems of people experiencing homelessness and people with settled accommodation (individual and population level) on a local authority, locality or health board level; funding; ISD Scotland’s Health & Justice work stream complementing the Health and Social Care work stream; and analysis demonstrating cost savings to a health and social care sector as a result of homelessness prevention. 

Action 1: Initial meeting to be set up between Peter Knight, ISD Scotland,  Tim Pogson, Ruth Robin and Marion Gibbs to discuss the scope of potential partnership-working. 

2. RRTP overview – contribution from Crisis

Lucie Dunn, Crisis, introduced a Crisis’ Overview RRTP document covering 31 local authorities (Argyll & Bute Council’s RRTP not publicly available). The document highlights positive approaches and practice across the 31 local authorities and aims to maximise opportunities for sharing ideas. Lucie sought views on the document from the sub-group members with comments made about the use and relativity of a term ‘good practice’ and the usefulness of the document for the purposes of the sub-group, Housing Options Hubs, local authorities and the wider housing sector. Crisis intends to publish the document in near future. 

3.Introductions, minute and actions

The chair noted apologies as recorded above and welcomed everybody to the meeting:

• Gary Fairley, Head of Finance & Integrated Service Support, Midlothian Council was welcomed as new member of the sub-group.
• Confirmed that Andrina Hunter, Service Manager for the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service at Inverclyde HSCP will become a member of the sub-group as a Health and Social Care Partnership representative.

Minutes

One minor comment provided on page 4 which was agreed to, the rest of the minute of the meeting held on 20 August 2019 was agreed. 

Following feedback from the Housing Options Hubs to see the Minute of meetings earlier it was agreed that all minutes would be cleared electronically within four weeks of the meeting and published online and shared with Housing Options Hub leads.

Action log

Open actions:

• RRTP (20/8) - Action 8): John Mills to share Fife’s Impact Assessment report with the sub-group via eRDM Connect.  This will be shared once completed.
• RRTP (21/5) - Action 6: Homelessness team to identify practice within RRTP plans by the next Sub-group meeting, focusing on what works.  Scottish Government have commenced this piece of work.

4.Scottish Government RRTP update and funding support

Scottish Government update on progress on RRTPs and funding support was provided. Confirmed that 30 local authorities received feedback on their 2nd RRTP iteration in mid-September, with main focus on RRTPs’ costings. Officials have undertaken work on benchmarking around furniture packages for HF and TA and on determining costs and numbers of staff that local authorities require to transition to the system of rapid rehousing.  

Officials have continued to work with COSLA to consider and agree options for distribution of the remaining £16 million funding for Year 2 and Year 3 of implementation. Approach to the distribution of £8 million for 2020/21 based on a 3 year average of the number of homelessness assessments was agreed at the COSLA-SG Settlement Distribution Group meeting on 13 November. COSLA Leaders will consider this proposal on 29 November. Following this meeting, it is hoped that a written confirmation of funding allocations for Year 2 will be sent to local authorities by the end of 2019. This is subject to the Scottish Budget being agreed in Parliament.

For funding covering 2021/2022, it is the intention to agree with COSLA a plan based approach based on priorities identified within RRTPs.

Confirmed that the Scottish Government will communicate the timescales for RRTP progress updates and RRTP future iterations to all 32 local authorities in writing before the end of 2019. The intention is that this would include details on RRTP monitoring housing indicators developed by the Sub-group. 

5. Roundtable updates

Housing Options Hubs

Each Housing Options Hub provided a short written summary in advance of the meeting and three of the hubs present provided a short verbal update to the sub-group covering main points.

Kathy Cameron, COSLA

Sourced HSCP representatives for both RRTP sub-group and HPSG. Attended meeting of Homelessness Prevention Duty for Public Sector working group which will touch on a number of areas, including pathways for care leavers. Recommendations on legal duties of public sector organisations to prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless will be presented to the Minister in summer 2020.

Zhan McIntyre, SFHA

Welcomed the new £1.5 million Homelessness Prevention Fund for RSLs to assist low-income families. Supporting the Scottish Government and other members to explore the scope of the fund. First stakeholder meeting was held to progress this work with a few themes emerging; e.g. prevention - use of data analytics to determine people at risk of homelessness early on; and best use of PRS for vulnerable groups. Options to be presented to HPSG for consideration at the meeting on 10 December. 

Maggie Brunjes, GHN

HF Pathfinder October tracker published reaching a milestone of 156 people placed into own tenancies. 93% tenancy sustainment rate to date due to factors such as death, prison sentence or tenancy abandonment. No tenancies ended as a result of eviction. Work being progressed to understand reasoning behind the figures. Consultation on HF with all local authorities have started with the HF Pathfinder mapping out HF scope and implementation in non-pathfinder areas.

Tim Pogson, Scotland’s Housing Network

Recently held a quarterly forum meeting with local authority members which focused on RRTPs, review of the SHORE standards implementation, recent legislative developments and the Code of Guidance. Perth & Kinross Council outlined steps which the council has taken to revamp its homelessness provision. Next quarterly forum meeting  scheduled for 14 February 2020. 

Yvette Burgess, Housing Support Enabling Unit

Progressing evaluation of HF through the Better Futures, an online outcomes monitoring system for housing support and housing providers. Better Futures is used to support organisations delivering HF e.g. Blue Triangle. Recently held an annual event which was well attended.

Gary Fairley, Midlothian Council (Director of Finance representative)

Reflection on how to land RRTPs with the Directors of Finance across local authority areas, including the wider aspect of homelessness prevention and possible budgetary efficiencies. Budget pressure on resources across all local authorities with Directors of Finance pushing for less plan-based and not ring-fenced RRTP funding.  

Action 2: COSLA, John Mills and Gary Fairley to meet to continue the conversation around the position of local authority Directors of Finance.

6. RRTP Monitoring

The sub-group’s RRTP monitoring working group have met with Care Inspectorate to discuss their role and support with the RRTP indicators agreed for monitoring progress. Meeting also held with HSCP to discuss how to bring homelessness into the Care Inspectorate agenda. 

Scottish Government presented options relating to the timing of monitoring of RRTP funding and future iterations of RRTPs being submitted to the Scottish Government aligned to the submission of other housing strategies.

Feedback from the Sub-Group was of the view that reporting should not be too onerous but there was general consensus that the submission of reporting and updated RRTPs should be submitted to the Scottish Government by 30 June on an annual basis.

Feedback received will be used to support advice to the Minister for a final decision. 

Action 3: Tim to conclude and report any further conversations with SHR and Care Inspectorate back to the sub-group by February 2020.

7.AOB

The following other business was discussed:

• Sub-group’s meeting dates for 2020 were presented and agreed.

• Highlighted that the Stakeholder Communications and Engagement Plan has been updated and is available on eRDM Connect.
• Intention to host a National Event for RRTP coordinators was presented to the sub-group and the initial positive feedback from local authorities was highlighted. The sub-group is in favour of developing a network of RRTP coordinators/leads from across 32 local authorities; and wishes for the event to be badged under the RRTP Sub-Group.
• A draft agenda for the ‘Sharing Ideas from Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans’ Event on 3rd December 2019 shared with the sub-group. There is a big appetite across the sector to attend.
• Neil Hamlet raised awareness about the newly produced NHS cards that clearly set out the rights to access healthcare services by people experiencing homelessness

Next meeting

Tuesday, 18 February 2020, 10:30 – 12:30, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow