Strategic Context and Review of Supported Housing Allocations Process

NCC Review of Supported Housing NCC Review of Supported Housing Allocations Process Allocations Process

Amanda Senior Head of Fairer Housing Unit Newcastle City Council Strategic Context Strategic Context Drivers for the Review Drivers for the Review Scope of the Review Scope of the Review Findings and Emerging Recommendations Findings and Emerging Recommendations Next Steps Next Steps Themes to explore Themes to explore - - What will we do differently in future future What will we do differently in

Strategic Context Strategic Context Austerity Austerity 300M cuts Demand increases across all care services Demand increases across all care services Delivering newbuild at pace Delivering newbuild at pace using council sites (up to 80); 10M using council sites (up to 80); 10M capital receipts; borrowings to RP s; Homes England grant capital receipts; borrowings to RP s; Homes England grant Requirement to hit care revenue savings year on year Requirement to hit care revenue savings year on year Winterbourne Winterbourne and other policy pressures and other policy pressures Political priority challenge institutional care model older people; Political priority challenge institutional care model older people; dementia needs; learning disability; autism; mental health; complex dementia needs; learning disability; autism; mental health; complex needs needs 300M cuts - - resources go to most complex and crisis resources go to most complex and crisis

Drivers for the Review Drivers for the Review 15 schemes in 5 years 12 in pipeline to 2021 15 schemes in 5 years 12 in pipeline to 2021 Governance and management arrangements remain unchanged Governance and management arrangements remain unchanged Overburdened by operational issues Overburdened by operational issues Feedback from registered providers Feedback from registered providers cumulative risks downturn in their involvement downturn in their involvement Council taking on further revenue risks within the Housing Revenue Council taking on further revenue risks within the Housing Revenue Account and General Fund (ALBM) Account and General Fund (ALBM) Preparation for 2030 Preparation for 2030 Investing in R and D across the piece Investing in R and D across the piece - - adaptations; insights; long term specialist needs; HRA Assets; LGBTQ adaptations; insights; long term specialist needs; HRA Assets; LGBTQ needs needs cumulative risks potential potential

Scope of the Review Scope of the Review Procurement Procurement - - HQN How effective was marketing, awareness raising and communication with How effective was marketing, awareness raising and communication with customers customers End to ten review of process End to ten review of process - - referrals to void management referrals to void management what was the customer journey like customer journey like Community sustainability within schemes Community sustainability within schemes - - if and how was balance being maintained maintained Consideration of risks including development appraisal; rent loss to voids Consideration of risks including development appraisal; rent loss to voids Legal Framework Legal Framework - - were lettings meeting existing Council and legislation were lettings meeting existing Council and legislation Collation and consideration of feedback on schemes, external organisations Collation and consideration of feedback on schemes, external organisations and third sector groups and third sector groups HQN what was the if and how was balance being

Findings and Emerging Recommendations Findings and Emerging Recommendations Identifying and supporting people seeking accommodation Identifying and supporting people seeking accommodation Exemplar from a strategic perspective Exemplar from a strategic perspective Future planning requires regular feedback data, post lettings appraisals Future planning requires regular feedback data, post lettings appraisals- - housing panels central to this housing panels central to this End to end review of overall allocations and lettings process End to end review of overall allocations and lettings process * Separate care and housing assessments, over emphasis on process, * Separate care and housing assessments, over emphasis on process, shared knowledge is variable across professions/agencies shared knowledge is variable across professions/agencies

Findings and Emerging Recommendations (continued) Findings and Emerging Recommendations (continued) Community Sustainability with in schemes Community Sustainability with in schemes Strong commitment to criteria Strong commitment to criteria high medium low care needs vs those in greatest high medium low care needs vs those in greatest need need Balanced ratio/dependency level set during commissioning stage Balanced ratio/dependency level set during commissioning stage Housing providers consider this paramount in decision making Housing providers consider this paramount in decision making Financial Considerations Financial Considerations Significant clarity of the financial benefits to the public purse and individual Significant clarity of the financial benefits to the public purse and individual households households Lack of similar understanding of the financial risks across the whole process, Lack of similar understanding of the financial risks across the whole process, project life and programme project life and programme Change viability assessment of new schemes .. of potential rent loss from Change viability assessment of new schemes .. of potential rent loss from inception to full let inception to full let

Findings and Emerging Recommendations (continued) Findings and Emerging Recommendations (continued) Legal Considerations Legal Considerations System meetings legal requirements of social housing allocations, care and support System meetings legal requirements of social housing allocations, care and support and equality obligations and equality obligations Allocations of care and support could be more effectively coordinated Allocations of care and support could be more effectively coordinated better service for customers service for customers Terminology needs to change Terminology needs to change specialist?supported?extra care? specialist?supported?extra care? In addition In addition historic Independent Supported Living historic Independent Supported Living sits outside current frameworks frameworks better sits outside current Feedback Feedback Mechanisms for feedback to panel and Supported Housing Board Mechanisms for feedback to panel and Supported Housing Board - - into the governance system governance system External organisations highlight the range and quality available as a positive but External organisations highlight the range and quality available as a positive but message to customers is not consistent message to customers is not consistent into the

Themes to Explore Themes to Explore Single and coordinated entry and assessment system for allocation Single and coordinated entry and assessment system for allocation Review of allocation policy take account of changes in provision and Review of allocation policy take account of changes in provision and terminology terminology Review financial viability modelling and introduce KPI s across lettings Review financial viability modelling and introduce KPI s across lettings process through existing governance process through existing governance Confirm the commitment to community sustainability Confirm the commitment to community sustainability Review and change governance arrangements between housing providers, Review and change governance arrangements between housing providers, panels and governance boards panels and governance boards Operational teams to simplify customer journey; confirm panel approach; Operational teams to simplify customer journey; confirm panel approach; redefine referral processes; joint training on case studies; confirm protocols redefine referral processes; joint training on case studies; confirm protocols around policy; improve risk assessment and mitigation around policy; improve risk assessment and mitigation

What will we do Differently? What will we do Differently? Ensure risk and financial reporting is incorporated at all levels of decision Ensure risk and financial reporting is incorporated at all levels of decision making/ governance across capital, care revenue and lettings revenue making/ governance across capital, care revenue and lettings revenue Build in improved performance and quality monitoring for the customer Build in improved performance and quality monitoring for the customer journey (SIFT/NITV tenant groups) journey (SIFT/NITV tenant groups) Commit greater time and resources to feedback, review and joint staff Commit greater time and resources to feedback, review and joint staff training training Host more frequent and insightful feedback session for all staff, RP s and Host more frequent and insightful feedback session for all staff, RP s and Care Providers Care Providers Move to a wider market intervention post 2021, if possible to include broader Move to a wider market intervention post 2021, if possible to include broader needs base needs base