Milton Keynes Council

Background

The Council has been involved in using Systems Thinking to reshape our service, and this link will show you Milton Keynes Historical Perspective. The intervention has been not just on Options/Homelessness work but across the whole housing services.


We are just about to begin consultation on a New Allocations Policy, and this will attempt to make allocations to those in housing need in real time and to reduce the traditional "waiting list" waste.

So far as Options and Homelessness is concerned our performance has steadily improved over the last four years as is shown below.

Reduction of homeless acceptances

2003/4 - 913 cases accepted for full housing duty
2004/5 - 699
2005/6 - 366
2006/7 - 216

Numbers in temporary accommodation
April 2004 - 1430 of which 1270 were in MKC stock
April 2006 - 817 of which 583 in MKC stock
April 2007 - 434 of which 334 in MKC stock

Bed and Breakfast targets
Since the introduction of the " 6 week rule " in 2004, no family or single person has been in B and B for longer than 6 weeks, the average stay currently being 2 weeks

Homebond scheme/Private letting initiatives
We introduced our own scheme, with staff funded from the Homeless directorate grant, to source private rental accommodation. We nominate clients to the landlords who manage the properties themselves, and give a bond equivalent to one months rent. We currently have over 300 properties in this scheme.

Additionally as part of the current systems thinking intervention in the Housing Department we have formed a partnership with a lettings agents, GPR, who also source property. They can provide the management function for owners at a competitive cost, so the two schemes together provide choice for those who have a priority to let. This has been operational since April 2006 and currently we have over 70 properties in this scheme. An additional scheme which we have recently formed a relationship with, Yourpad, now has over 20 units in it.

Non of these schemes operates as a "leasing scheme" and so do not fall into the definitions of temporary accommodation.

Mediation scheme
We have recently re-let this service for 16-21 year olds following a tendering exercise. It was won by the YMCA with Relate as their partners. The service has only just begun to run, but we are hoping for a higher success rate in returns to home that under our previous scheme.

Youth Housing Network
Through the homelessness grant we fund a worker who visits schools/colleges giving talks on the reality of the housing options available, or not available to young people, and how to deal with their housing and related issues. Whilst this has had some success, we feel we need to develop this service so it is directed at clients who are giving early signs of problems to come. We will be progressing this with YHN.


Roland Payne, Housing needs manager 01908 253221

Roland.payne@milton-keynes.gov.uk

or look on our website: www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/housing-needs/


Links

Homelessness Strategies
Allocation Policies
Contracts / Service Level Agreements
Statistics
Contact Details for Regional Champions
Forthcoming Events
Application Forms and Advice Leaflets

Regional Homelessness Champions Home Page