Report highlights Winter Care Shelter success
25/08/10
Councillors have instructed housing officers to provide a Winter Care Shelter service for homeless people this winter, following the success of the initiative in 2009/10.
The decision was taken after Housing and Environment Committee members considered a report on the success of the care shelter initiative last winter.
The report is an annual review which forms part of the service agreement signed between Aberdeen City Council and the Bethany Trust for three years, from January 2010 to March 2012.
Committee members decided that officers should approach the trust to extend the shelter's operational time to allow it remain open from December until April, as it did this year in response to the adverse weather conditions at that time.
Bethany provides a variety of services to stop people being homeless and stop people becoming homeless.
The demand for temporary accommodation has increased with the rise in homeless presentations in recent years. The number of applications assessed in 2008/09 was 2,796 compared to 1,835 in 2003/04.
More than 100 individuals slept over at the Winter Care Shelter between January and April 2010, with a further 53 admitted for meals.
Of the 106, 27 were able to find more permanent and suitable accommodation. Of those using the shelter, only 52% were known to the Homelessness Service. Out of the 159 service users 136 had recourse to public funds.
The 23 persons not entitled to public funds were working age men from 'A8' countries [Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia]; they had no entitlement to statutory homelessness services.
The report to councillors said the shelter was one of the most successful in Scotland in providing services for homeless people.
Housing and Environment Convener Aileen Malone said: "The operation of the Winter Care Shelter contributes towards the council's aim to reduce the number of people sleeping rough in the city by ensuring that there are adequate, accessible and appropriate services and support available for those experiencing homelessness.
"Given the chronic shortage of temporary accommodation over the coldest winter for many years, the Winter Care Shelter provided an immediate sanctuary from the dreadful conditions for those requiring it."