Solihull Council Renews Commitment to End Homelessness with Updated Strategy
Solihull councillors have reaffirmed their dedication to eliminating homelessness in the borough by refreshing the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, originally adopted in 2024. The updated plan was discussed at a recent decision session for the cabinet holder for housing, highlighting a renewed ambition to address this critical issue.
Building on Progress and Aligning with National Goals
Officer Jennifer Mason, Solihull Council's commissioning and partnerships manager, explained that the refreshed strategy builds on the progress made over the past two years. A key driver for the update is the government's National Plan to End Homelessness, released at the end of last year, which strongly aligns with Solihull's existing approach.
The national plan outlines five priority areas:
- Prevention and early intervention
- Rough sleeping response, support, and recovery
- Temporary accommodation: quality, efficiency, and move-on
- Pathways to settled housing
- Supporting wellbeing and building resilience
Mason noted that Solihull has already made strides, such as reducing reliance on budget hotels, with the average length of stay now just two to three days—a significant improvement since the strategy's inception.
Strategic Changes and Realistic Ambitions
A notable change in the strategy is its shift from a five-year plan running to 2029 to a three-year framework with annual updates, offering greater flexibility. During the meeting, Councillor Mark Wilson questioned the realism of the government's directive to end homelessness in Solihull's context.
Mason responded by emphasizing Solihull's embedded rough sleeper outreach team, which focuses on engaging with individuals and providing long-term support beyond just housing. She stated, "I don't think we are probably going to end homelessness, I think the government also recognise that. The ambition is it's rare, it doesn't happen to many households and when it does happen it doesn't occur again."
Council Leadership and Future Funding Opportunities
Cabinet holder Councillor Mark Parker highlighted a sharper focus on homelessness compared to previous years, moving away from outdated views linking it to criminality and instead tackling root causes. He said, "We'll help our people when they need it."
The strategy's approval comes as the Local Democracy Reporting Service notes millions of pounds in funding will be spent across the West Midlands over the next three years to combat homelessness and rough sleeping, with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) set to discuss this further. Councillor Parker stressed the importance of having a framework in place to collaborate closely with the WMCA, hoping for more funding opportunities in the future.
The plan was approved during a virtual meeting held on March 17, marking a significant step forward in Solihull's ongoing efforts to address homelessness and rough sleeping in the community.
