Buckinghamshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022 to 2025 consultation

Feedback updated 20 May 2022

We asked

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires the Council to publish a Homelessness Strategy document every five years.

The overarching purpose of this document is to set down our strategy for preventing homelessness wherever possible and for securing that sufficient accommodation and support is available for people who are (or may become) homeless.

We consulted on the draft Buckinghamshire Council Homelessness Strategy from 21 February to 21 March 2022.

You said

We received 28 responses to the consultation.

Responses showed a very high and consistent level of support for the draft strategy and the priorities within it.

Priority one: To provide advice, information and support on housing and related issues to enable those at risk of becoming homeless to take steps to remain in their accommodation where feasible and appropriate, or to undertake a planned move if required.
- 85.71% of respondents strongly agreed with this priority,
- 10.71% agreed with this priority
Priority two: To identify those at risk of becoming homeless at the earliest possible stage, and to intervene proactively to prevent them becoming homeless.
- 85.71% of respondents strongly agreed with this priority,
- 14.29% agreed with this priority
Priority three: Where a household does become homeless, to support them to find appropriate alternative accommodation as quickly as possible.
- 89.29% of respondents strongly agreed with this priority,
- 10.71% agreed with this priority.
Priority four: To prevent anyone having to sleep rough.
- 85.71% of respondents strongly agreed with this priority,
- 3.57% agreed with this priority
Priority five: To maximise the supply of affordable rented accommodation.
- 75% of respondents strongly agreed with this priority,
- 17.86% agreed with this priority

We did

At its meeting on 27 April 2022, Buckinghamshire Council adopted the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022 - 2025 (PDF 0.27MB).

Following the consultation, we reviewed the draft strategy document and made a small number of amendments and additions:

areas have been expanded to provide clarification in response to feedback
additional actions have been included in the Action Plan to provide more details and reflect comments made during the consultation

Buckinghamshire Council and its partners will be able to continue to influence and adapt the overall Strategy.

We will review the high-level priorities and action plan in the Homelessness Strategy on an annual basis in regular consultation with key stakeholders and partner agencies.

Overview

We want to hear your views on the new Buckinghamshire Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which will set out how we intend to tackle homelessness to 2025.

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires all housing authorities to have a Homelessness Strategy in place.

Buckinghamshire Council has been working with its key partners to develop a draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy that will set the framework for how we tackle homelessness over the next three years.

This will be the Council’s first single homelessness strategy since it was created. It will build on the work and priorities in the strategies of the former district councils.

The draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022 to 2025

The draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy (PDF 0.30MB) is intended to focus on the Council’s key main priorities for tackling homelessness and setting the direction of travel going forward.

We are seeking feedback on the draft strategy document and the proposed priorities for action going forward. We want to hear from anyone who may be affected or wishes to comment on how Buckinghamshire Council is addressing homelessness going forward.

Proposed priority areas for tackling homelessness More Information

The draft strategy sets out the following priorities:

To provide advice, information and support on housing and related issues to enable those at risk of becoming homeless to take steps to remain in their accommodation where feasible and appropriate, or to undertake a planned move if required
To identify those at risk of becoming homeless at the earliest possible stage, and to intervene proactively to prevent them becoming homeless
Where a household does become homeless, to support them to find appropriate alternative accommodation as quickly as possible
To prevent anyone having to sleep rough
To maximise the supply of affordable rented accommodation

The priority areas we have identified are equally important.

In addition to these priorities, there are two cross-cutting themes to which we will continue to address with associated plans and ideas. These are:

Making best use of resources
Partnership working

How the Strategy has been developed More Information

The draft strategy document has been prepared based on:

A review of the existing homelessness strategies that were carried forward from the former District Councils
Analysis of key data and information on homelessness (both local and national)
A series of stakeholder sessions involving Councillors, external partners and officers to inform the key priorities and content of the strategy

For more information about how the strategy has been developed, please see the Evidence base for preventing homelessness and rough sleeping strategy (PDF 0.73MB).

The strategy will be a live document, subject to an annual review to:

Establish whether the key main priorities remain relevant, and / or
Identify any revisions that may need to be made to reflect national and local homelessness circumstances and trends.

The draft strategy is accompanied by an Evidence Base document which provides technical and statistical background information and a summary of the stakeholder sessions that informed how the Strategy has been developed.

How to have your say

You can tell us your views in one of the following ways:

Complete the online survey using the link at the end of the page
Complete, and return, the printed version of the survey (PDF 0.26MB)
Email us at homelessnessstrategy@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Write to us at Homelessness Strategy Consultation, Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 8FF

If you have any questions about this consultation, please email us at homelessnessstrategy@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or phone us on 0300 131 6000.

Please tell us your views by midnight on Monday 21 March 2022.

What happens next

Following the close of the consultation, we will review the responses and identify where any amendments or changes should be made to the draft strategy document before it is finalised and adopted.

Once the finalised strategy is agreed and adopted, the high-level priorities and actions in the strategy will be broken down into more detailed action plans that will set down specific and measurable objectives with responsibilities and timeframes.

These plans will be formulated in partnership with key stakeholders including the North and South Homelessness Forums.

The plans will be regularly monitored and reviewed and will underpin the delivery of the high-level priorities set down in the strategy.

Privacy

We will use the information you provide here only for this activity. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. For more information about data and privacy, please see our Privacy Policy.

If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. Or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

Areas

Amersham
Aylesbury
Beaconsfield and Chepping Wye
Beeches
Buckingham and Villages
Chesham and Villages
Denham, Gerrards Cross and Chalfonts
Haddenham and Waddesdon
High Wycombe
Missendens
North West Chilterns
South West Chilterns
Wendover
Wexham and Ivers
Wing and Ivinghoe
Winslow and Villages

Interests

Housing
Communities

Contact