Human Rights

Nottingham Slashes Number of Homeless Families in Hotels from 180 to One

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The number of homeless families in Nottingham placed in hotel accommodation for more than six weeks has dropped sharply from 180 to just one, according to the city council. The progress follows concerns over rising homelessness-related costs, which have significantly strained Nottingham City Council’s finances, particularly amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Temporary accommodation expenses, which include hotels and bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), totalled £6.7 million last year, far exceeding the council’s allocated £4 million budget. However, the Labour-run council says it has implemented a new performance management framework that has led to a “remarkable” reduction in hotel placements for families. Councillor Linda Woodings, who oversees regional development, growth, and transport, credited this system for driving “tangible” results in addressing the city’s housing challenges.

Speaking during a council meeting on July 30, Cllr Woodings said the framework, though still being fully rolled out, has enabled more effective oversight of council operations. “What is really tangible is our aim to keep Nottingham families who have been made homeless out of B&Bs and hotel accommodation,” she stated. “It is wrong for them, it is not right for children, it is not a psychologically-informed environment when you’ve been made homeless.”

She added that regular in-depth reviews by the council’s corporate leadership team over the past six months have led to substantial progress. “At this time last year, there were nearly 180 families in hotel accommodation. Now there is one,” she reported. The approach, she said, was about working pragmatically, reassessing available resources, and collaborating across departments to identify and implement effective solutions.

Cllr Woodings described the results as “a really dramatic example” of what can be achieved when decision-makers focus on specific outcomes. She acknowledged that external national pressures had previously hindered the council’s efforts but maintained that the latest numbers marked a significant milestone in local service delivery.

However, the framework has not been without scrutiny. During the same Corporate Scrutiny Committee meeting, Cllr Georgia Power raised concerns about the potential for “unintended consequences” of a system driven by targets. She cited instances in her constituency work where families, although housed, were not placed in suitable accommodations, such as needing more space or being unable to bid on available properties due to supply shortages.

James Rhodes, a senior council officer, acknowledged the limitations of relying solely on data and performance metrics. While such tools can signal where improvements are needed, he said they should not replace qualitative assessments by councillors. “You can see the influence of doing more preventative work to reduce the crisis element, so that is the consequence you do want to see,” he explained. “But we will also have metrics where you might see one going one way, but it is just pushing demand to another area.”

While the council’s performance framework is still evolving, the sharp decline in hotel-based temporary housing stands as a noteworthy development amid wider concerns about homelessness and local authority finances.

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