Range of places now available to accommodate homeless people in Calderdale

Calderdale Council’s strategic housing delivery manager, Heidi Waters, said the service had schemes for homeless people at Ryburn House, a refuge at The Acorns, and a number of dispersed properties that can be used in cases where it may not be suitable for people to live in a particular area or to enable them to stay in an area where their children are at school, for example.

The service tries to ensure accommodation is available across the borough, she said.

Bed and breakfast accommodation is only used as a last resort, especially for families with children.

Ms Waters said the average length of stay for families in temporary accommodation is 45 days during which the service works to find them a permanent home.

The average stay in the refuge can be three to six months, she told the council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny board.

Bed and breakfast accommodation is spread across Calderdale and also into Kirklees, which is not ideal but there are not enough B and Bs in the borough to work with, she said.

Ms Waters said aims for the year ahead included reducing the use of B and Bs for families , maintaining standards across all sites, improving the children’s playroom at The Acorns and extending support to those fleeing abuse .

Coun Ann Kingstone (Lab, Skircoat) asked if the properties were a mix of types and was told they were usually large flats or maisonettes.

Accessibility, for example for someone visually impaired, and availability of accommodation for males and well as females who were victims of domestic violence were issues raised by

Coun Danielle Durrans (Lab, Ovenden).

Ms Waters said a family’s needs were always considered where accessibility was concerned, and the relevant support organisations would also be brought in for males in that position as they were for females.

Shelagh Hirst asked how long the service would support someone who had to live out of Calderdale and was told each was allocated a support worker who would support them until they were rehomed – back into Calderdale if a property came up.

Coun Felicity Issott (Con, Ryburn) asked what was the maximum capacity available to accommodate families, and about use and cost of B and Bs..

Ms Waters said there were 23 units at The Ryburn, 21 at The Acorn and around 14-15 dispersed properties too. B and Bs were often used as temporary accommodation.

Coun Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) asked if there was a plan to ensure people who had to move out had essentials and was told their support worker would help them access Calderdale’s assistance scheme.

Coun Dot Foster (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) said she had been reassured about the quality of Calderdale’s accommodation having seen photographs of it.

Board Chair Coun Colin Raistrick (Ind, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) asked what refurbishment was needed at the children’s playroom and whether the service had a policy on transgender people needing a home.

Ms Waters said the play area actually needed decluttering and each person was assessed on an individual basis and a decision made on the right accommodation for them.