Bronze award for frontline housing services

St Albans City and District Council has achieved a prized Bronze Standard for its work with the homeless – and is now aiming for Gold.

The National Practitioner Support Service’s Gold Standard Challenge was set up to improve frontline housing services.

It is intended to encourage local authorities to develop and deliver more efficient and cost-effective ways of preventing homelessness.

The City Council has picked up the gauntlet and was awarded the Bronze Standard after demonstrating a commitment to the issue.

Now the Council continues to work on the remaining challenges that must be met to achieve the Silver and Gold Standards.

These include working in close partnership with charities and other local groups to address the education, employment, training and support needs of the homeless.

The Council must also have a homelessness strategy, to be reviewed annually, with a proactive approach to the issue.

It must not place any person aged 16 or 17 in Bed and Breakfast accommodation while families should only be so placed in an emergency and for up to six weeks.

Councillor Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing for St Albans City and District Council, said:  “The award of the Bronze Standard shows the Council is committed to providing the very best frontline housing services.

“We are not stopping there and have already embarked on the work needed to achieve the Silver and Gold Standards. We are determined to prevent homelessness in the District as far as is possible and intervene effectively when it does occur.”

Since April, the Council has had 953 enquiries from people seeking housing advice and 123 people have made homeless applications.

In August, there were 121 people living in temporary accommodation in the District.

For more information on finding a home in St Albans, see the Council’s website at https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/finding-home

Councillor Contact:

Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing for St Albans City and District Council.Tel: 01582-767621Email Cllr.B.Ellis@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:

John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council

Tel: 01727 296130 

E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk

Note:

The National Practitioner Support Service (NPSS) is a new service set up to develop continuous improvement in frontline housing services and is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.