How Scarborough Council plans to deal with homelessness problem

The council will become part of the What Works Community, created by the Centre for Homelessness Impact (CHI).

During an intensive six months process, the community will enable the council to share its experiences of tackling homelessness and work with other councils to develop new ideas for improving their homelessness service.

It will also receive expert guidance on how to reduce the use of temporary accommodation and develop a “unique solution” for homeless people in the borough of Scarborough in a bid to improve their quality of life.

At the heart of the process will be learning how to improve the use of local data and evidence to develop policies that will work for the borough.

Councils taking part in the 2021 programme benefit from free guidance from experts around the world as well as training and resources from Johns Hopkins University.

The What Works Community is the first of its kind in the UK and follows a successful pilot programme run by the CHI and three founding local authorities in 2019/20.

The pilot programme focussed on tackling local issues in the private rented sector.

Cllr Carl Maw, Scarborough Council Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities and Housing, said: “We are excited to see how being a part of CHI’s What Works Community can give us a new perspective and help us to reduce our use of temporary accommodation in the borough.

“We are committed to dealing with homelessness effectively and working quickly with those experiencing or at risk of homelessness so we can find longer term accommodation suitable for their needs and ensure that nobody has to return to the streets.

“We have developed our homelessness strategy with the experiences of those who have been homeless and our valued staff to make sure the solutions we develop are reflective of the challenges our community faces and will help us build a better borough for all.”

Dr Ligia Teixeira, CEO of the Centre for Homelessness Impact, added: “I am delighted to welcome all of the local authorities into the latest What Works Community cohort.

"By joining the programme they are showing a true dedication to effective programme solving and improving outcomes for everyone in their communities.

“The needs of local authorities are as diverse as the communities they represent and we’re excited to be working with a variety of new councils who bring unique challenges to the table.

“What they all have in common is their commitment to improving the lives of their citizens and an understanding that making more effective use of data and evidence can aid them in their goals.”

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