Council backs plans to tackle homelessness in Caerphilly
COUNCILLORS have backed plans to tackle the issue of homelessness in Caerphilly County Borough, writes Rhiannon James.
According to Caerphilly County Borough Council, there are 281 people currently in temporary accommodation due to homelessness.
As part of the local authority’s Homeless Project Plan, a review into finding ways to reduce the amount of time people spend in emergency accommodation will be carried out, if the council’s cabinet approves the plan.
In a meeting of the council’s Joint Scrutiny Committee held on Thursday, October 21, housing solutions manager Kerry Denman said: “As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the council was forced into using bed and breakfast accommodation, but this is not sustainable.”
Ms Denman said the focus on prevention aims to target the so-called “hidden homeless”, for example those who “sofasurf”.
As part of the plans, an officer could be appointed to reach out to and engage with rough sleepers to understand “their wishes and their wants”.
Ms Denman also said there are rough sleepers in the borough who don’t want to engage with the council.
Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Kevin Etheridge, who represents Blackwood, said: “If they want to be outside, we cannot force them.
“There are some individuals that I have come across that will just refuse. If you mention the council or the police, they just fall to pieces.”
Ms Denman said some rough sleepers’ ownership of a pet can often be an obstacle when it comes to accessing temporary accommodation.
Plaid Cymru group leader Councillor Colin Mann, who represents Llanbradach, said: “Some of these people will have only experienced loyalty from their dog, so you can understand people not wanting to be seperated from their dog.”
The Homeless Project Plan also aims to work with the council’s Caerphilly Keys project, which works with private landlords to secure accommodation for homeless people.
The plan will be delivered in line with the Housing Wales Act 2015 and the Gwent Homeless Strategy 2018-2022.
The Homeless Project Plan is an interim plan and will be replaced in 2022 by both the Caerphilly Council Homeless Strategy and the Rapid Rehousing Transitional Plan.