Action Plan

Partnership Working: A multi-agency approach to tackling homelessness

No.

Action

Aims/Outcomes

Lead Officer(s)

Partner Agencies

Timescale

Status / Comments

1.1

Improve joint working with Social Care specialist teams.

·         Raise awareness about homelessness duties.

·         Understand the housing and health roles and responsibilities.

·         Ensure effective communication to deliver meaningful decisions.

·         Have a regular presence at joint team meetings with Adult and Children’s Social services, and the Mental Health team.

·         Make contributions to the emerging Surrey Mental Health protocol. Implement recommendations and training.

·         Review demand for mental health support in the community and implement actions that may arise.

Group Head Community Wellbeing

 

Housing Options Manager

Adult and Children’s Social Services.

Community Mental Health Team.

Surrey County Council.

Summer 2025 and ongoing

 

1.2

Review good practice learn from Surrey’s joint strategic needs assessment.

·         Review and look to implement recommendations from the joint strategic needs assessment co-produced with people who have lived experience with multiple and complex needs.

·         Retrieve feedback from the Bridge the Gap findings to learn good practice.

Strategic Housing Lead

Surrey Public Health

December 2025

 

1.3

Retain local specialist support services.

·         Continue to provide targeted support to residents in need.

·         Focus on tenancy sustainment to prevent homelessness.

·         Provide financial support during ongoing Cost-Of-Living Crisis. Where possible, expand capacity to help meet demand.

Strategic Housing Lead

Citizens Advice Runnymede and Spelthorne.

Look Ahead.

Summer 2026

 

1.4

Identify opportunities for employment support.

·         Increase access to employment opportunities by exploring joint working opportunities with DWP. 

·         Utilise benefits from Employment and Skills hub in Spelthorne (DWP, Mind and Surrey Work Well Programme operate here).

·         Explore “added value” when procuring goods and services to create employment opportunities for homeless residents.

Housing Options Manager,  Strategic Housing Lead, Economic Development Manager, and Head of Procurement

DWP, Mind and Surrey County Council

April 2026

 

1.5

Ongoing proactive fraud prevention work.

·         Investigate and where applicable prosecute those found to be unlawfully obtaining social housing which has deprived another in genuine need.

·         Run a regular campaign to raise public awareness on how to report housing and benefit fraud.

·         Ensure all staff undertake counter fraud training so that they are equipped with the necessary skills for recognise fraudulent activities.

·         Improve software to monitor outcomes, record referrals data and run reports.

Housing Options Manager, Strategic Housing Lead, and

Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

Reigate and Banstead Council

Ongoing

 

1.6

Engage with local drug, alcohol and gambling support groups and charities.

·         Explore on-site joint working opportunities within homelessness support schemes.

·         Sign-post clients who need additional support.

·         Create a list of local groups with support date sessions that can be distributed to Housing Colleagues and Councillors.

·         Maximise opportunities that arise from the Surrey Drug and Alcohol Strategy.

Housing Options Manager and Principle Licensing Officer

Local community groups, charities, and I-Access.

April 2026

 

1.7

Use the Sanctuary Scheme and tri-borough Officer to support survivors of domestic abuse.

 

·         Access specialist support for vulnerable residents.

·         Create safe havens for survivors where it’s appropriate for them to remain in their existing accommodation.

Housing Options Manager

North Surrey Domestic Abuse Service and Surrey Police

Ongoing

 

1.8

Work with probation and offending services to prevent prison leavers and ex-offenders from becoming homeless.

·         Ensure there is a planned pathway before prison release to ensure effective targeted support.

·         Prevent homelessness and rough sleeping prior to release.

Housing Options Manager

Probation

Ongoing

 

1.9

Explore the benefit of Integrated Neighbourhoods emerging from the North West Surrey Health Alliance.

·         Ensure information is shared and that there are holistic contributions.

Independent Living Manager

North West Surrey Health Alliance

April 2026

 

1.10

Continue leading on a hospital discharge scheme providing access to step-down accommodation.

·         Provide wrap-around support for up to 6 weeks at one of the step-down units whilst suitable accommodation or a care package is sought for patients who are ready to leave hospital but require some additional support.

·         Prevent hospital admission for some residents who can access the scheme for step-up support instead.

·         Explore the opportunity for scheme expansion (subject to demand and funding).

Strategic Housing Lead and Independent Living Manager

North West Surrey Health Alliance, A2Dominion, Elmbridge Borough Council, Runnymede Borough Council, The Whiteley Homes Trust, and Housing 21.

Ongoing

 

1.11

Develop further links with Armed Forces charities.

·         Ensure serving members and Veterans are offered appropriate support to access and sustain settled accommodation.

·         Ensure staff undertake Armed Forces awareness training.

·         Implement the recommendations that emerge from the Armed Forces Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Housing Options Manager and Armed Forces Champion

Armed Forces Covenant and charities

April 2026 and Ongoing

 

1.12

Continue accessing shared training events with other Surrey authorities and where appropriate, open these up to our partners.

·         Ensure that there are opportunities for staff learning and development.

·         Partner training will strengthen the joint services we offer and show a commitment to our partners

Housing Options Manager

 

Ongoing

 

1.13

Sustain the Spelthorne Homelessness Prevention Forum.

·         Maintain opportunities for networking and for good practice and updates to be shared between stakeholders.

Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

All statutory and voluntary organisations

Ongoing

 

1.14

Explore cost efficient ways of meeting our  duty to assist homeless clients with safely storing their possessions.

·         Work with Knowle Green Estates to see which sites may be suitable for garage storage.

Strategic Housing Lead and Principle Residential Property Manager

Knowle Green Estates

Winter 2026

 

1.15

Raise awareness of youth homelessness.

·         Increase awareness of housing options and homelessness advice amongst our younger residents.

·         Continue to participate in the Surrey Care leavers protocol and 16-17yr old protocol to prevent homelessness and maximise accessibility to support services.

 

Children’s Services

 

Care Leavers Service

 

 

 

 

Identifying opportunities to address housing need

No.

Action

Aims/Outcomes

Lead Officers

Partner Agencies

Timescale

Status / Comments

2.1

Regular marketing of local private sector access schemes.

·         Run a biennial landlord forum to engage and build rapport with landlords.

·         Review scheme capabilities and advertise the Council’s Spelthorne Rent Assure Scheme.

·         Promote the services offered by Spelthorne RentStart.

·         Link residents with spare rooms to RentStart for advice on how to let.

Housing Options Manager, and Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

Spelthorne RentStart

April 2026 and Ongoing

 

2.2

Address quality of emergency and temporary accommodation.

·         Improve temporary accommodation offer by ensuring properties are in good condition, safe to occupy, and adequately maintained.

·         Where supported by demand, actively work with Government to identify opportunities for funding and further delivery.

Strategic Housing Lead and Senior Environmental Health Manager

A2Dominion, Knowle Green Estates, private landlords, and MHCLG.

April 2028 and Ongoing

 

2.3

Work with registered providers to maximise local lettings.

·         Explore the opportunity of nominating to hard-to-let properties located outside of the borough.

·         Monitor performance through an Annual Lettings Review to measure the number and type of lets made.

·         Review the demand for Sheltered, Extra Care and retirement schemes.

Housing Options Manager and Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

 

A2Dominion, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, PA Housing, London & Quadrant, and Peabody

April 2027 and Ongoing

 

2.4

Progress and deliver Development and Delivery Strategy to maximise the delivery of affordable housing schemes.

·         Joint ventures with developers and registered providers to deliver affordable homes and adapted accommodation where possible.

·         Progress development delivery on all Council owned land by considering partnership and disposal routes.

Group Head Assets

Registered Providers and Developers

As per the strategy.

 

2.5

Where there is no Registered Provider interest in s106 sites.

Consider using Council owned land and a portion of commuted sums as part of a joint venture with a Registered Provider.

·         Deliver much needed affordable rented homes in Spelthorne.

·         Help to progress sites identified in the Development and Design Strategy.

Group Head Assets

 

Planning Development Manager

Registered Providers and Developers

Commuted sums negotiations immediately and joint venture

2025/26.

 

2.6

Explore opportunities with Surrey County Council to secure affordable housing on publicly owned assets via the One Public Estate programme.

·         Identify opportunities via the Strategic Surrey Estates Network (SSEN). For example, adjoining land holdings or other Surrey County Council owned properties within Spelthorne.

·         Maximise assets to achieve collaborative outcomes.

·         Identify opportunities for affordable housing delivery from the ‘Housing, Homes and Accommodation Strategy for Surrey’.

Group Head Assets

Surrey County Council

2025-2027

 

2.7

Explore the revised Tenancy Strategy to make more homes affordable and encourage landlords to do the same. Explore opportunities for further delivery via Government funding opportunities.

·         Make best use of social housing stock to ensure that affordable homes are used effectively.

·         Meet local housing needs and prevent homelessness.

·         To enable a range of tenure options to balance the local market.

Strategic Housing Lead

Registered Providers and MHCLG

2028

 

2.8

Work in partnership with key registered social providers (including A2Dominion) to bring forward regeneration opportunities which will also secure housing for local needs.

·         Ensure that decanting of existing residents is carefully managed so that this does not create more of an issue with scarce supply of housing generally.

·         Ensure that schemes incorporate sufficient long term general needs affordable rented housing and not private sales.

Group Head Community Wellbeing

A2Dominion and other Registered Providers operating locally.

2025-2027

 

2.9

Small scale pilot to invest in properties that Knowle Green Estates can manage and let via Spelthorne Rent Assure scheme.

·         Generate emergency accommodation savings as the Council subsidies the difference between Local Housing Allowance and market rent which is more cost effective than a nightly paid emergency accommodation.

Deputy Chief Executive, Group Head Assets, and

Strategic Housing Lead

Knowle Green Estates

Delivery 2025/26 (subject to necessary approvals and funding)

 

2.10

Consider establishing Registered Provider status for Knowle Green Estates.

·         Seek to unlock Homes England funding which can be used as part of a joint venture to deliver affordable homes.

·         Make contributions to Knowle Green Estates’ Business Strategy development.

Deputy Chief Executive

Knowle Green Estates

Dependent on financial viability.

 

2.11

Review service provision to ensure the effective implementation of the Local Plan and emerging planning reform policies.

·         Effectively implement the Government’s changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.

·         Proceed to Examination and adopt the Local Plan so that there is a clear overall vision and framework for future development in Spelthorne over the next 15 years.

·         Have an Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document.

Group Head Place, Protection and Prosperity

 

As and when timescales are revealed

 

2.12

Work with A2Dominion to tackle under occupation of social housing.

·         Free up larger sized social housing for families by liaising with A2D on their initiatives.

·         Monitor impact of new Housing Allocations policy to measure impact of higher priority for under-occupiers.

Housing Options Manager and Assistant Strategic Housing Leaf

A2Dominion

April 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proactive homelessness prevention and an effective service response

No.

Action

Aims/Outcomes

Lead Officers

Partner Agencies

Timescale

Status/Comments

3.1

Review team capacity to respond to the increased approaches from refugees and asylum seekers.

·         Offer bespoke support.

·         Collaborate with Surrey County Council on an emerging immigration strategy.

·         Explore joint working with the Home Office Housing Options Liaison Officer’s.

·         Actively seek Government funding to support refugee and asylum seeker resettlement.

Housing Options Manager and Strategic Housing Lead

Family Support Service, Home Office and MHCLG.

December 2025

 

3.2

Sustain our rough sleeper outreach service.

·         Have effective reporting measures in place with a rapid response rate to ensure advice and support is offered as soon as possible.

·         A designated outreach service will allow for more detailed assessments.

·         Run a regular awareness campaign on how residents can report sightings of rough sleepers via Streetlink.

·         Use food banks to publicise services and encourage referrals.

·         Ensure sufficient SWEP provision.

Strategic Housing Lead, Housing Options Manager, and Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

 

Street Link

 

Food and Welfare Network

Spring / Summer 2025

 

3.3

Provide opportunities for Housing Options team development and growth.

·         Identify and enable staff training and learning opportunities.

·         Implement opportunities to collect customer feedback to improve service delivery.

·         Deliver an empathetic Housing Options service to residents in a time of crisis and provide a consistent service offer.

·         Implement effective outcome-based performance management.

Housing Options Manager

 

April 2026 and Ongoing

 

3.4

Improve efficiency of housing software and systems.

·         Provide value for money.

·         Improve the customer journey.

·         Look to work more smartly and consider investing in staff technical skills training to ensure systems are used efficiently.

·         Have a dedicated system to manage and monitor the rent assure scheme.

·         Implement a housekeeping proposal for the Council’s Housing Register to help monitor demand more closely.

Strategic Housing Lead

 

April 2028

 

3.5

Bring the management of the homelessness support schemes in-house.

·         Deliver a high quality service at White House and Harper House.

·         Work with residents to provide a support plan and achieve move-on to settled accommodation.

Strategic Housing Lead,  Housing Options Manager, and Group Head Assets

 

Summer 2025

 

3.6

Review service provision to ensure the effective implementation of the Renters Rights Bill (if passed) and Awaab’s Law.

·         Prepare for the impact of a potential ban on no fault evictions and whether some landlords choose to leave the market.

·         Awaab’s Law may be expanded to the private sector requiring landlords to investigate and fix reported health hazards within specified timeframes.

Housing Options Manager

 

Senior Environmental Health Manager

 

2027-2028

 

3.7

Review the effectiveness of the use of the ‘duty to refer’ referral mechanism.

·         Increase awareness of the ‘duty to refer’ by attending partner meetings and events.

·         Encourage a ‘commitment to refer’ from local Registered Providers to allow us more time to prevent homelessness.

·         Explore software options to monitor referrals.

Housing Options Manager

Statutory Organisations and Registered Providers

Ongoing

 

3.8

Actively respond and engage with public consultations.

·         Support lobbying the underlying causes of homelessness as part of our homelessness prevention efforts.

·         Maximise funding opportunities.

Assistant Strategic Housing Lead

 

Ongoing

 

3.9

Raise awareness of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) and local handyman schemes.

·         Help residents to live independently in their own homes.

·         Seek an uplift on the DFG award based on performance and increased local resident need.

Independent Living Manager

 

April 2027

 

3.10

Deliver the SPAN personal alarm service and look at other technology tools.

·         Continue partnership working with Mole Valley to deliver SPAN.

·         Develop joint opportunities for health technology including Virtual Ward monitoring.

·         Seek opportunities to secure homes for residents within any new Support Independent Living accommodation.

Independent Living Manager

 

April 2027

 

3.11

Sustain social prescribing programme.

·         Promote societal and community opportunities for residents with disabilities by removing barriers.

·         Explore opportunities for joint working with health and social care, focusing on prevention, recovery and independent living.

Independent Living Manager

 

Ongoing

 

3.12

Safeguarding.

·         Implement recommendations from serious case reviews.

·         Review lessons learned from recent Coroner cases.

·         Ongoing staff training.

Housing Options Manager

 

Ongoing

 

3.13

Support residents in emergency and temporary accommodation with move-on.

·         Help residents to look for alternative sustainable accommodation.

·         Review cot provision for families.

·         Explore opportunities for working with landlords to enable housing residents with pets.

Housing Options Manager

 

Ongoing

 

3.14

Continue to review the demand for emergency accommodation.

·         Ensure suitable sufficient resources to manage demand in an ever-changing environment.

Housing Options Manager

 

Ongoing

 

3.15

Review the use of properties acquired under the Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme.

·         Explore the potential for a Housing First type scheme or equivalent support model.

Strategic Housing Lead

 

April 2028

 

3.16

Closely monitor Housing Options commissioned contracts and services.

·         Ensure high performance and value for money.

·         Provide an annual performance report to monitor progress and outcomes.

·         Implement service improvement changes where necessary.

Strategic Housing Lead

 

Ongoing