Devon County Council has issued a clear response to claims made by St Petrock’s that the Council has “cut all homelessness prevention funding from April”.
Councillor Julian Brazil, the council’s Leader, said:
“It is simply not correct to say that Devon County Council has ended all support for homelessness services.
“We continue to contribute financially to adult homelessness prevention, and we remain fully committed to supporting district councils and Exeter City Council, who hold the legal duty for homelessness and rough sleeping.
“Alongside this, the County Council is investing significantly in new support and accommodation pathways for 16–25 year-olds who are at risk of homelessness.”
Devon County Council is not a housing authority and does not have the same statutory duty as District and City Councils in Devon to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Despite that, the County Council is continuing to provide funding for adult homelessness prevention for at least the next three years. This is now allocated to District and City Councils in Devon as they are best placed to commission services that support local need.
The County Council is however responsible for preventing homelessness among 16 and 17-year-olds, young people in care, and young adult care leavers.
Devon County Councillors this week approved a major recommissioning programme worth up to £140 million over 10 years to provide specialist homelessness prevention and accommodation support for 16 to 25-year olds; ensures young people have dedicated Key Support Workers as they progress from supported accommodation into their own tenancies and independent living; expands access to emergency, or short-term accommodation; and directly tackles the bottleneck in care-leaver housing that contributes to homelessness.
“This investment is among the most significant commitments this Council has ever made to tackling homelessness among young people,” said Councillor Brazil.
“There is indeed a lot of pressure facing homelessness services this winter,” he added.
“The impending end of the national Rough Sleeping initiative; the delayed announcement from Government on future funding; and increasing levels of complex need among rough sleepers.
“But attributing these pressures to Devon County Council alone is inaccurate.
“We will keep working compassionately and collaboratively with charities like St Petrock’s. But it is important that public statements reflect the reality of the situation – because people in crisis depend on all of us getting this right.”