
Senior councillors have approved plans to tackle homelessness in Caerphilly County Borough.
According to Caerphilly County Borough Council, there are 281 people currently in temporary accommodation due to homelessness.
In a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, November 11, the Homeless Project Plan was approved.
What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?
A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.
It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.
Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:
- Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Leader
- Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Corporate Services and Property
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance and Performance
- Cllr Carol Andrews (Gilfach) – Education and Communities
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Housing
- Cllr Elaine Forehead (Van) – Social Care
- Cllr Philippa Leonard (Risca East) – Planning and Public Protection
- Cllr Chris Morgan (Machen and Rudry) – Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces
Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.
Last updated October 13, 2023
The plans had already been backed by members of the council’s Joint Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, October 21.
Leader of the council, Philippa Marsden said it was a “turning point in dealing with the tragic issue of homelessness in the borough”.
The plan will be prevention-led as opposed to crisis management, in line with the Housing Wales Act 2015 and the Gwent Homeless Strategy 2018-2022.
An officer could be appointed by the council to reach out and engage with rough sleepers to understand “their wishes and their wants”.
The plan aims to improve communication, ensure swift access to accommodation, and conduct a review into time spent in temporary accommodation.
It is an interim plan and will be replaced in 2022 by both the Caerphilly Council Homeless Strategy and the Rapid Rehousing Transitional Plan.
The Homeless Project Plan aims to work with the council’s Caerphilly Keys, which works with private landlords to secure accommodation for homeless people.
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