Tackling homelessness as a councillor
Homelessness provision
Many people in Dundee depend on Housing Benefit and so it is important for the council to maximise access to benefits and entitlements, with advice and assistance. Two recent appointments of housing staff, as part of the City's Homelessness Strategy, are solely to be used to fill in benefits claims and ensure that claimants receive the housing benefits that will allow them to stay in social rented accommodation.
The delivery of services is a joint activity with other organisations, as you will have seen from the list above, that are often working with the most challenging groups. When it comes to individuals who may be mentally ill, drug abusers, alcoholics or sex offenders, challenges can range from anti-social tendencies at best, to threatening behaviour and violence at worst. The needs of these individuals may often severely challenge both services and staff to breaking point.
The question of how we can successfully reintegrate people back into society using allocation policies that balance the needs of all is still open, and I wish I had a complete answer to it. For the moment we are facing some issues and trying out some initiatives to try to tackle it as best we can. There are no easy answers to many of the questions arising in this area, and it is perhaps important to remember that some of the issues are ideological as well as practical. For example, is it useful, or right, to send people on detox courses if we cannot change the culture and environment they must return to?
