Brian Stanley questions funding and seeks clarity on family hubs

The issue of child homelessness, I think it's going to have, unfortunately, lifelong effects for those children. But, you know, the elderly homelessness, as well, at the other end of it, I think it's an issue of huge concern, and we can see it around us. Could I just address just with the Midland Homeless Action Plan and Westmead County Council as well, just as I live in Leish, so I represent Leish constituency, so you can understand why I'm raising it. Just in terms of the outline, that, you know, the most appropriate accommodation, and you seem to be viewing towards family hubs. And, Jackie, you might just explain briefly in three or four sentences what that means. I have a few questions, so bear with me in the short time that I have. Just the proportion of funding for homeless services in the four Midland counties. I know Simon, up to two years ago, ran about this, that was at 1.5% of the funding across total funding in the state. And you might just address where that is at the moment. I think if I'm reading it right in 2024, 6.8 million for the region, is that correct, Jackie? But just if you could address what those family hubs have looked like, and you mentioned as well that it needs to be a more sustainable form of funding, but as one of the speakers or one of the guests already said, when we get to homeless services, we have failed. I was trying to stop it from happening to that. Barry, if you could outline just the more restrictive tenant in situ scheme, is this in your mind, and your colleagues, the other chief executives, is this going to lead to more homelessness and putting more pressure on housing? Just the, in the, in the solutions, and I mean, the solutions outlined four pillars, Barry, in your, in your presentation, and it's very welcome. You said about the infrastructure management, reduced to over-reliance on private accommodation. You know, just a couple of sentences on what you're, just spelling out exactly what you mean there. Unexpensive private emergency accommodation. The sustainable funding model, as it currently is operating through section 10. You know, I think I know what you're driving at there, in terms of the department of bookkeeping, how that should happen. The, enhancing social housing delivery, you'd say all four local authorities in the Midlands are working to accelerate delivery of social housing units, specifically allocated to homeless people. And I know that local authorities are trying to ramp up. I know Alicia's a very good record of it. There's further work to be done in the county, but they are going well ahead. Would you just tell me what the four factors are, from your point of view as the chief executive, in slowing down housing delivery? Just tell me what those are. And could I, could I ask you as well, are you as, are you, yeah, just to be very quick with this, are you being allowed as a county manager to use the same plans as you're using in other counties? In other words, that you're not starting with a blank canvas sheet on every housing development that you go to, that there's 10 or 12 different types of house to suit different household types. Are you allowed to use them, or are we still going more or less to a blank canvas? Thanks. Three minutes. Three minutes. Thank you. Jackie, Jackie or Barry, whichever one. Thank you, Chair. So family hubs, I suppose I referred to, supported emergency accommodation. There is a facility in Mullangar, Chocfalchia. It's a wonderfully run facility. And the aim is that similar family hubs be rolled out through the region. And as I say, the department is supportive of this. And this really is an alternative. It's an emergency accommodation. So it's gone past where we've managed to prevent people going into homelessness. But it really is to address some of the concerns around the suitability of accommodation. And my colleague here spoke about children growing up and maybe sharing a room in a B&B and not having adequate space for outdoors and not having adequate space to learn to walk. So would the number of families maybe share a kitchen, but have separate bedrooms in that type of thing? Yes. Yes. And the building is privately owned, is it? Yes. But state provided or council provided? Exactly. Yes. That's okay. So, and I suppose there'll be supports then in reach services going in. So that's the aim. And also it would be much more, it would be better value for money than the private emergency. Sorry for cutting you short, just to move on to the other answers, because I wanted to change. Yeah, the time is running short. Thanks for that, Jackie. The impact of restrictions on tenants. Oh yeah, I'll tell you that. So the funding for services for the Midlands region was £2.6 million. That includes the 10% funding from, that's for the temporary emergency accommodation services. And then the total budget for the Midlands region was £6.8 million. And as a percentage of the state funding in the year? I don't know. I don't know. Okay. That's okay. And the more restrictions on the tenant in situ, yeah, definitely the allocation for Westmeath. I can't speak for the other four counties or the other three counties, but for Westmeath, we're going to find that it's much reduced and it's more restrictive in terms of the criteria as well. However, exits from homelessness will be a key priority group. Thank you.