Council continues review of homelessness at Huntly House.
Members of the City of Inverness and Area Housing and Social Work Committee yesterday agreed to defer a decision to cease funding of the Residential Care Home Service provided by the Salvation Army at Huntly House, Inverness.
A report by Council’s Housing and Social Work Service covered a review of the Service provided at Huntly House by the Salvation Army and asked members to approve recommendations, that:
• the Highland Council ceases to fund the Residential Care Home Service provided by the Salvation Army at Huntly House and that the Service be discontinued within a timescale to be agreed between the Council and the Salvation Army;
• the Highland Council arranges appropriate placements for any long term residents remaining in Huntly House and funds these placements from the Social Work Services revenue Budget currently dedicated to Huntly House;
• the Criminal Justice Team commission a new bail project with the funding currently allocated to Huntly House; and
• the Highland Council explores all options as to how Huntly House can be used in the future to help meet the Council’s statutory duty towards Homelessness.
Fiona Palin, Highland Council’s Head of Operations (Criminal and Justice Services) with Social Work Services said: “The review of services provided at Huntly House was undertaken as a result of examination of drug and alcohol service provision. We are not questioning the need for services for single homeless people but how they are funded and provided. The care home model as provided by the Salvation Army is no longer an appropriate way to fund or provide this service.”
Murray Cochrane, Highland Council’s Inverness Area Housing Manager said: “The provision of homelessness care provided by the Salvation Army is not currently providing what single homeless people need in Inverness. The Council’s Housing Service owns Huntly House and our involvement in the provision of care there has become increasingly more involved due to the current and future changes in Homelessness legislation in 2009 and 2012. The Council must provide a homelessness service that is fit-for-purpose. We will review all the options within the resources available to us.”
Councillor Ella MacRae, Chair of the City of Inverness and Area Housing and Social Work Committee moved a motion that the Huntly House Consultative Committee meets with the Salvation Army to take the review further forward to explore all options as to how Huntly House can be used in the future to meet statutory Homelessness legislation. Members of the committee agreed this motion and deferred the decision to cease funding the Residential Care Home Service provided by the Salvation Army at Huntly House.
Members also agreed that the Highland Council arranges appropriate placements for any long term residents remaining in Huntly House and funds these placements from the Social Work Services Revenue Budget currently dedicated to Huntly House; and that the Criminal Justice Team commission a new bail project with the funding currently allocated to Huntly House.
A further report will be prepared for the next City of Inverness Area and Housing and Social Work Committee on 19th March, 2007.