Homeless situation highlighted by Powys

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Powys is home to five rough sleepers, classed as people who refuse help to be housed, a county council committee has been told.

The Economy, Residents, Communities and Governance, Scrutiny Committee discussed the latest situation for quarter two which runs from July to September.

The data showed that the overall number of homeless cases has risen slightly in the second quarter, compared to the first quarter which runs from April to the end of June.

This includes the number of households living in temporary and Bed and Breakfast accommodation. But the number of rough sleepers in the county has remained at five.

Cllr Kelvyn Curry said: “We were told that all the homeless people who wanted to be accommodated were given it during the (first) lockdown. What is the situation now? Did that accommodation come to an end? Are those people back on the street again?

“What is the plan now for the lockdown we’re going to have, for hopefully a short period of time? “Is it the intention to accommodate those people again?”

Director of Environment and Economy, Nigel Brinn, said: “The situation hasn’t changed, all those we could accommodate, we have.

“The emphasis now is getting them into the most appropriate accommodation.”

This would be making sure that families would receive two or three-bedroom houses, while a single person might need to be housed in a flat.

Mr Brinn added:  “The number of rough sleepers are people who unfortunately weren’t prepared or unable to accept what was on offer.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Mathew Dorrance, said: “Why have we still got five people sleeping rough?

“There’s been a real push from the Welsh Government to get people into some sort of temporary living accommodation.”

Mr Brinn, said: “We’re dealing with people who are particularly hard to reach or simply don’t want to accept the help which is on offer, which is frustrating and disappointing.

“We are in a position where we can provide accommodation for those that want it, however there are a number of people who have declined our offer of support.”

Mr Brinn added that, as it stood in October, the council is dealing with 320 “live homelessness cases”, and that 82 new properties had been found to “boost” the number of buildings available to accommodate people.

• The report shows that between July and the end of September, 37 homeless households were rehoused, this is an increase of two from the first quarter
• The number of homeless households in temporary accommodation was 110 from July to the end of September, which is an increase of three from the first quarter
• The number of households living in Bed and Breakfast accommodation is 15, a rise of four from the first quarter.