See answers to previous information requests

Please provide the following information:
1. Homeless Applications and Interim Accommodation:
a) Over the past twelve months, how many people have made a homeless application to the Council? 596 (12 month period ending 20/09/24)
b) Over the past twelve months, how many people have been provided with interim accommodation pursuant to Section 188(1) of the Housing Act 1996? 342 (12 month period ending 20/09/24)
c) Over the past twelve months, how many people have been provided with interim accommodation pursuant to Section 189(b) of the Housing Act 1996? 142 (12 month period ending 20/09/24)
d) Over the past twelve months, what was the total cost of providing interim accommodation? Total temporary accommodation cost for 23/24 was £874,499 – please note this total is for temporary accommodation under all interm accommodation duties
e) What proportion of this cost was paid to Travelodge and/or any of its parent companies/subsidiaries? 0.70%
f) What was the total amount paid to Travelodge and/or its related entities over the past twelve months? 23–24: £6,130.50

2. Temporary Accommodation Expenditure and Associated Costs:
a) What has been the total expenditure on interim temporary accommodation (e.g., Travelodge, B&Bs) for homeless individuals over the past three financial years?
23/24: 874,499
22/23: 887, 558
21/22: 809,107
b) Please provide a breakdown of these costs by location, including the number of placements made outside the borough.
Unable to provide a breakdown of cost by location as multiple providers have emergency accommodation properties across different locations and due to how they invoice we would need to individually check each individual invoices received during this period to check what properties were covered by that invoice and then what areas they were in. This would exceed 18 hours (Section12). We made a total of 547 placements during this time period and each check would take approximately 10 minutes to check.
Location of placements:
23/24 –
Reading - 110
Wokingham – 12
Slough – 17
Bracknell – 8
Fleet – 2
Maidenhead 1
Portsmouth – 1
Newbury – 1
Southall - 1

Location of placements:
22/23
Reading – 105
Wokingham – 42
Slough – 49
Bracknell – 10
Wellingborough – 3
Debry – 1
Windsor – 1
Croydon – 2
Newbury – 2
Bedford – 1

Location of placements:
21/22
Reading – 73
Wokingham – 69
Slough – 31
Bracknell – 1
Maidenhead – 3
Portsmouth - 1
c) What has been the total expenditure on affiliated costs such as storage, taxis, and other related services for individuals placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough over the past three financial years?
23-24: £10,844.29
22-23: £14,921.14
21-22: £11,858.20
d) Please provide details of these costs by category (e.g., storage, transportation, etc.) and location.
Storage:
23-24: £9227.29
22-23: £12986.64
21-22: £11485.2
We do not have data in relation to location of the storage as households source their own storage providers.

Taxis costs:
23–24: £1617
22–23: £1934.50
21–22: £373

3. Protection of Personal Property for Homeless Applicants:
a) Over the past twelve months, how many homeless applicants have had their personal property protected by the local authority? 13 people over 12 month period of last financial year were assisted with storage costs
b) What is the average length of time that a homeless applicant’s personal property is stored by the local authority? Variable – average length of time for 23/24 was for 3 months
c) What is the average cost of storing a homeless applicant’s personal property while they are in interim accommodation? Variable – average cost for 23/24 was £710 per applicant
d) Under what circumstances does the local authority protect the personal property of homeless applicants? If an applicant requests assistance for storage and they have been provided with interim accommodation and they are unable to store their belongings in this accommodation
e) As part of the homeless application process, does the local authority expressly ask the homeless applicant whether they need their personal property protected? Yes we will advise the applicant that we can assist with storage costs for personal property if this is required
f) If not, please state the reasons why this question is not asked. N/A
g) Please provide copies of the local authority’s policies regarding homeless applications. No policy in place – we refer to Homelessness Legislation
h) Please provide a copy of the local authority’s policy regarding the protection of the personal property of homeless applicants. No policy in place – we refer to Homelessness Legislation
i) Please disclose a copy of the council's homeless procedures manual or policy document followed by housing solutions officers at its homeless service centres/homeless persons offices. We do not have this – officers trained to deliver the Homelessness Reduction Act/ legislation and are instructed to follow this
j) Over the past three years, how many complaints have been made by homeless applicants regarding the council’s failure to protect their personal property? 2

4. Proactive Measures to Reduce Temporary Accommodation Costs:
a) What specific measures has the council taken to reduce the reliance on temporary accommodation outside the borough, such as Travelodge and B&Bs? We have increased early prevention work with households to prevent households from becoming homeless and being placed out of borough into emergency accommodation, we have increased the number of households being discharged into suitable privately rented accommodation to prevent and reduce the length of time households may be placed in emergency accommodation outside of the borough, we have increased the supply of temporary accommodation options available in borough through the use of a private sector lease for a block of24 flats/ bedsits, 23 new two-bedroom timber-clad units each with their own entrances and have used a regeneration site as temporary accommodation to keep households in the borough whilst new homes are being developed on site.
b) Has the council developed or initiated any programs to increase the availability of local temporary accommodation, particularly through the use of empty properties or land within the borough? If so, please provide details. We have replaced 12 old mobile homes which were used as temporary accommodation with 23 new two-bedroom timber-clad units with their own entrances, own toilet, and bathroom and a fully furnished open plan lounge. They were built using modular construction methods meaning they were built offsite and then transported to site which is quicker and better value for money. We have also used a regeneration site as temporary accommodation to keep households in the borough whilst new homes are being developed on site.

5. Utilisation of Empty Properties and Land:
a) How many empty properties and parcels of land are currently owned by the council that could potentially be used for temporary accommodation? 1 parcel of land is being explored and we have utilised empty properties as and where they have become available as part of our regeneration Scheme.
b) Has the council considered or initiated any compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to acquire vacant properties for conversion into temporary accommodation? If so, please provide details, including the number of properties targeted, the outcome, and associated costs. 0 properties
c) What steps has the council taken to encourage community/ non-profit groups or social enterprises to make use of disused land or buildings via adverse possession for temporary accommodation or support services? Please provide examples, if any. 0 because there is very little land available and where we have got land we are trying to maximise the affordable housing on these sites to relieve the pressures on temporary accommodation. We are not aware of any encouragement of third parties to claim adverse possession of land or buildings.

6. Comparative Models and Best Practices:
a) Is the council aware of successful models such as Calderwood House in Cumbria, where an empty property (a former police station) was transformed into temporary accommodation and support services? If so, has the council explored similar initiatives within the borough? Please provide details of any discussions, plans, or actions taken. We have transformed a former B&B accommodation in the Borough into Temporary Accommodation as well as other methods such as external lease agreements on private sector buildings as well as built modular housing on our own land. All to maximise the availability of temporary accommodation within the Borough.
b) Has the council considered offering similar arrangements, such as a peppercorn rent, to community groups or social enterprises willing to repurpose empty properties for temporary accommodation or support services? If not, what are the reasons for not pursuing this option? Where appropriate, the Council does actively engage with Voluntary Sector partners to provide temporary accommodation across its property portfolio.

7. Support Services for Individuals in Temporary Accommodation:
a) What support services does the council currently provide for individuals placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough, particularly in terms of maintaining their connection to local support networks, healthcare providers, and other essential services? Each household will have an allocated Homelessness Officer who will provide support and guidance and will signpost to relevant services outside of the borough to ensure continuity of care is provided. We aim to move households who are placed out of borough back into our district and into our own temporary accommodation as soon as possible whereby further support will be provided by our Temporary Accommodation team.
b) Are there any programs in place to assist individuals in transitioning from temporary accommodation outside the borough to permanent housing within the borough? If so, please provide details on the nature of the support provided, outcomes, and costs. No programs in place.

8. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Complaints:
a) H7ow does the council monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its temporary accommodation placements, particularly those made outside the borough? Please provide any available data on the impact of these placements on residents, including any assessments of detriment or distress caused. No data held
8b) Has the council conducted any cost-benefit analysis comparing the current expenditure on temporary accommodation outside the borough with potential savings from investing in local solutions (e.g., repurposing empty properties)? If so, please provide the findings. Yes we do that as part of any business case when we are looking at utilising any of our current land or properties for temporary accommodation. It would be on a cost to save basis.