Section 17 housing

The request was refused by Richmond upon Thames Borough Council.

Dear Richmond upon Thames Borough Council,

This request is about the provision of Section 17 (s17) housing (of the Children’s Act) by social services. I would like to know:

1a) How many assessments for housing help under s17 you have carried out, and how many times S17 housing was given, for each year since records began. Note: If this is not recorded easily can I just have either the numbers for each year since it was started to be recorded in an accessible format, or if that never happened, the last year.
1b) The numbers in 1a broken down for assessments being made due to ‘no recourse for public funds’ and due to being found ‘intentionally homeless’ during a homeless application
1c) The number of families housed under s17 accommodation by you in each council area in the last year (eg. 5 in Crawley, 2 in Milton Keynes etc.). No need to list any council areas where you did not house people. And use the last 12 months or the last year that you recorded, either is fine.

2) How do you find the accommodation you use to house people who require a s17 provision? Do you use letting agents? If so, what are the names of the companies who find s17 accommodation for you?

3a) How much do you pay letting agents in admin fees for each property they find you to provide s17 accommodation?
3b) How much in the last year have you spent in total on letting agent fees?
3c) What is the range of rents for s17 accommodation in the last year: cheapest per period (night or week or month) and most expensive per period? And also the average rent per period for s17 accommodation.
3d) Do you regularly make payments on top of rent to S17 landlords? If so, what are they for and how much?

4) Number of times last year that s17 housing funding was ended by the council deciding no longer to provide it (rather than the family no longer needing it)

5) The average time a family currently in s17 housing has been in it? And the longest time someone who is currently in S17 housing has been in it for?

6a) Number of times last year that a family requesting s17 housing agreed to voluntary separation of the children from the parents?
6b) Number of times last year that a family requesting s17 housing had a non-voluntary order for the separation of the children from the parents?

Yours faithfully,

Becca Martin

FOI, Richmond upon Thames Borough Council

 

Our Ref: L/JS/e19652

 

Dear Becca Martin

Thank you for your request for information received on 20 September 2016.

Your request is being considered and the information will be provided
within the 20 working day statutory timescale, this is subject to the
information not being exempt or containing reference to any third party.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 defines a number of exemptions, if any
of these exemptions apply to the information you have requested then the
information may not be released. You will be informed if this is the case
along with details of your right to appeal.

The application of an exemption may mean that the information you have
requested may take longer to provide than the 20 working day limit. If
this is the case you will be notified in writing along with the additional
time required to consider your application.

If the information you have requested contains references to a third party
then they may have to be consulted before the information can be released.
If this is the case you will be notified in writing.

If you have any queries please contact us.

Regards

 

FOI Team

 

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FOI, Richmond upon Thames Borough Council

1 Attachment

 

Our Ref: JS/e19652

 

Dear Becca Martin,

 

Your request for information which was received on 20 September 2016 has
been considered.

 

Please find our response attached.

 

I hope you are satisfied with this response.

 

If you are dissatisfied please let us know in writing, setting out your
reasons why and send to:

 

Corporate Complaints and Access to Information Manager

Community Engagement & Accountability Team

Adult and Community Services

3rd Floor Civic Centre

44 York Street

Twickenham

TW1 3BZ

E-mail: [1][Richmond upon Thames Borough Council request email]

 

 

Regards

 

Jane Shields LLB LLM

Data Protection and Information Officer

Community Engagement and Accountability Team

Adult and Community Services

[2][email address]

0208 891 7531

 

 

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If you have received this message in error you must not print, copy, use
or disclose the contents, but must delete it from your system and inform
the sender of the error. You should be aware that all emails received and
sent by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames may be stored or
monitored, or disclosed to authorised third parties, in accordance with
relevant legislation.

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