I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the council’s expenditure on interim temporary accommodation and related costs, as well as the measures being taken to reduce such expenditures.
Please provide the following information:
1. Homeless Applications and Interim Accommodation:
– Over the past twelve months, how many people have made a homeless application to the Council?
– Over the past twelve months, how many people have been provided with interim accommodation pursuant to Section 188(1) of the Housing Act 1996?
– Over the past twelve months, how many people have been provided with interim accommodation pursuant to Section 189(b) of the Housing Act 1996?
– Over the past twelve months, what was the total cost of providing interim accommodation?
a) What proportion of this cost was paid to Travelodge and/or any of its parent companies/subsidiaries?
b) What was the total amount paid to Travelodge and/or its related entities over the past twelve months?
Devon County Council (DCC) is not responsible for homelessness and therefore does not hold this information. Homelessness is the responsibility of District and Unitary councils in Devon; please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
2. Temporary Accommodation Expenditure and Associated Costs:
– What has been the total expenditure on interim temporary accommodation (e.g., Travelodge, B&Bs) for homeless individuals over the past three financial years?
– Please provide a breakdown of these costs by location, including the number of placements made outside the borough.
– What has been the total expenditure on affiliated costs such as storage, taxis, and other related services for individuals placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough over the past three financial years?
– Please provide details of these costs by category (e.g., storage, transportation, etc.) and location.
Compliance with this request would exceed the appropriate cost limit under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which is £450 or 18 hours of officer time. We would have to check all 18+ young people that we have paid for to go into B&Bs, hotels etc to identify whether the reason for the accommodation was homelessness. There were 80 unique individuals that received a service against this the hotel / B&B code in 2023/24 alone and as an estimate it would take somebody about 10 minutes to identify on the Eclipse system whether the individual was accommodated due to homelessness. That is 80 x 10 minutes (800 minutes) over 3 financial years (3 x 800 = 2400 minute) which is 40 hours and over the officers time.
Under the Act, there is a duty to provide advice and assistance as to how a request can be refined to fit within the appropriate limit. Unfortunately, due to the way the data is held, this is not possible for this request.
3. Protection of Personal Property for Homeless Applicants:
– Over the past twelve months, how many homeless applicants have had their personal property protected by the local authority?
– What is the average length of time that a homeless applicant’s personal property is stored by the local authority?
– What is the average cost of storing a homeless applicant’s personal property while they are in interim accommodation?
– Under what circumstances does the local authority protect the personal property of homeless applicants?
– As part of the homeless application process, does the local authority expressly ask the homeless applicant whether they need their personal property protected?
– If not, please state the reasons why this question is not asked.
– Please provide copies of the local authority’s policies regarding homeless applications.
– Please provide a copy of the local authority’s policy regarding the protection of the personal property of homeless applicants.
– Please disclose a copy of the council’s homeless procedures manual or policy document followed by housing solutions officers at its homeless service centres/homeless persons offices.
– Over the past three years, how many complaints have been made by homeless applicants regarding the council’s failure to protect their personal property?
DCC is not responsible for homelessness and therefore does not hold this information. Homelessness is the responsibility of District and Unitary councils in Devon; please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
4. Proactive Measures to Reduce Temporary Accommodation Costs:
– What specific measures has the council taken to reduce the reliance on temporary accommodation outside the borough, such as Travelodge and B&Bs?
– Has the council developed or initiated any programs to increase the availability of local temporary accommodation, particularly through the use of empty properties or land within the borough? If so, please provide details.
DCC does does not hold this information. Please contact the District and Unitary councils in Devon.
5. Utilisation of Empty Properties and Land:
– How many empty properties and parcels of land are currently owned by the council that could potentially be used for temporary accommodation?
DCC have no properties or land that is intended for temporary accommodation (or would be suitable for such without going through appropriate processes such as planning permission for change of use).
– Has the council considered or initiated any compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to acquire vacant properties for conversion into temporary accommodation? If so, please provide details, including the number of properties targeted, the outcome, and associated costs.
DCC do not have a role in CPOs for temporary accommodation.
– What steps has the council taken to encourage community/ non-profit groups or social enterprises to make use of disused land or buildings via adverse possession for temporary accommodation or support services? Please provide examples, if any.
Whilst DCC do transfer properties under the community asset transfer programme this is intended to permit community groups to provide services to the local community and not temporary accommodation as such. Nor does DCC encourage community or non-profit groups or social enterprises to make use of disused land or buildings via adverse possession for use as temporary accommodation.
6. Comparative Models and Best Practices:
– Is the council aware of successful models such as Calderwood House in Cumbria, where an empty property (a former police station) was transformed into temporary accommodation and support services? If so, has the council explored similar initiatives within the borough? Please provide details of any discussions, plans, or actions taken.
No.
– Has the council considered offering similar arrangements, such as a peppercorn rent, to community groups or social enterprises willing to repurpose empty properties for temporary accommodation or support services? If not, what are the reasons for not pursuing this option?
When property is no longer required, DCC carry out an assessment of whether we ‘Retain’, ‘Repurpose’ or ‘Dispose’ – if a site where brought forward for disposal this may involve future use by an appropriate Community Group. Where the community group can demonstrates they have the skills, finances available and a use with a strong community benefit. A number of Community Asset Transfers have taken place (usually a permanent transfer) but to date, none of these have been for Temporary Accommodation. DCC are currently repurposing a range of sites for ‘Care Leavers’, to provide short term accommodation as the care leavers transition from care to living fully independently. DCC currently have no vacant properties which could be used for temporary accommodation
7. Support Services for Individuals in Temporary Accommodation:
What support services does the council currently provide for individuals placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough, particularly in terms of maintaining their connection to local support networks, healthcare providers, and other essential services?
Are there any programs in place to assist individuals in transitioning from temporary accommodation outside the borough to permanent housing within the borough? If so, please provide details on the nature of the support provided, outcomes, and costs.
8. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Complaints:
How does the council monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its temporary accommodation placements, particularly those made outside the borough? Please provide any available data on the impact of these placements on residents, including any assessments of detriment or distress caused.
Has the council conducted any cost-benefit analysis comparing the current expenditure on temporary accommodation outside the borough with potential savings from investing in local solutions (e.g., repurposing empty properties)? If so, please provide the findings.
For questions 7 and 8, DCC does does not hold this information. Please contact the District and Unitary councils in Devon.