Issue - meetings

Report attached,

It was confirmed that there were three hostels in Havering: Will Perrin Court with 46 rooms, Abercrombie House with 37 rooms and Queen Street Villas with 12 rooms. There were approximately 250-300 people living in the three hostels. The hostels had recently been reviewed by the Chartered Institute of Housing which had made a number of recommendations including changing the role of staff.

Experienced staff had therefore now been recruited and residents were now given risk assessments and support plans as well as many other programmes being available. A total of 159 children lived in the centres which was challenging and officers worked with sports teams and children’s centres etc. to ensure opportunities were available.

Most hostel residents were already living in the Havering area and had come to the hostels due to increased costs of rent. The hostels service was represented on the Managing Domestic Violence group. It was not possible to give tenant families separate units but double units would be used where possible. Communal rooms in the hostels could be used as study rooms and officers agreed that more computers in hostels would be a positive development.

Fold out tables had been supplied so that residents had somewhere to eat and many Christmas gifts were received for children resident in the hostels.

The average time spent by people in hostels had reduced to 3-4 months. Hostel residents still had to bid for housing accommodation and assistance could be given to do this via computer. New hostel residents were given a welcome pack including a duvet, pillow, cutlery and food items. It was suggested that it would be useful to arrange a visit to Abercrombie House in order to view the improvements that had taken place.

The design out crime officer had visited all three sites and suggested improvements such as the installation of high hedges which would be carried out. Injunctions had been taken out to prevent e.g. violent ex-partners from entering hostels and the Police would be called if necessary.

The Director of Housing Services recorded his thanks to the housing officer for her work overseeing the improvements to hostels.

The Sub-Committee:

1.    Noted the progress made to date in the hostel service following the housing restructure that came into effect on 4 April 2016.

2.    Noted the positive feedback by the Chartered Institute of Housing following their inspection on 7 to 9 December 2016.

3.    Noted that a draft action plan for improving the hostel service will be agreed with the Chartered Institute of Housing and will form the basis of a further review in January 2018.

4.    Agreed that a visit should be arranged to the Abercrombie House hostel.