Domestic Violence Reciprocal Agreement

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Domestic Violence Reciprocal Agreement North London Domestic Violence Reciprocal Agreement Boroughs in the North London sub-region collaborating on homelessness prevention in cases of domestic violence October 2013 North London sub region Domestic Violence Reciprocal Agreement Boroughs in the North London sub-region collaborating on homelessness prevention in cases of domestic violence Contents: Page Number 1. Purpose of the Agreement……………………………………………....1 2. Key principles……………………………………………………..……… 1 3. Referral Process………………………………………………………… .2 4. Additional operational considerations…………………………………. 3 5. Offer of Accommodation…………………………………………………3 6. Provision of Support…………………………………………………… ..4 7. Monitoring & evaluation arrangements………………………………...4 8. NLHP named Partners…………………………………………………..5 Appendix 1: Urgent Property Request Form Appendix 2: Operations Pathway Guidelines 1 Purpose of the Agreement: a. Boroughs in the North London sub-region to join together to assist their tenants who need to flee from their home. The purpose of the pilot DV Reciprocal Agreement is to establish a mutually supportive framework through which all partners can work together to rehouse their tenants who are experiencing domestic violence and need to move home. b. The DV Reciprocal pilot is intended to assist tenants subjected to domestic violence, regardless of gender, “where there are safety issues and/or child protection concerns and where there are threats of violence, where a person has been subjected to violence” (as defined by the new cross-Government definition, 2013) and there is a likelihood of further violence and the survivors address is known to the perpetrator. c. The DV Reciprocal Agreement is intended to increase safe options, offer choice and an alternative to the homelessness route and potentially long spells in temporary accommodation. d. The agreement is subject to the constraints of availability, to locate suitable alternative accommodation within a mutually agreed location and is subject to the policies and procedures of all participating organisations. 2 Key Principles: a. After initial enquiries to determine that the case deserves further investigation, the case will be treated as an application for a management transfer or equivalent. b. The assessment should maximise the possibility that alternative approaches to allow the tenant to stay in their own home or be transferred by their existing 1 landlord are fully explored. It is expected that these options should be fully explored prior to a decision that the tenant needs an out of borough move. c. All referrals will be subject to the policies and procedures of the receiving borough. Where it is not possible to provide alternative accommodation, the host/referring borough will work with the tenant to discuss housing options, with safety being the primary concern. d. Applicants might, for safety at the time of application, be staying with family or friends, in temporary accommodation or in a women’s refuge, however their existing tenancy must be with one of the participating boroughs within the North London sub-region. The North London sub-region comprises of the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Westminster. 3 Referral Process: a. Each Partner will nominate a lead contact and a reserve person. Partners will notify the North London sub regional Homelessness & Overcrowding Coordinator when there is a change of Named Person/s or contact details. b. When a tenant approaches their landlord with a request to move from their accommodation due to fleeing Domestic Violence, it has been agreed by partners that as the tenant of a North London Housing Partnership named partner, they will be asked if a reciprocal has been discussed with them. c. The Partner will conduct a risk assessment and try to arrange suitable transfer within their own stock. d. Where this is not possible, a request for alternative accommodation will be sent to Partners. The request will identify the area/s where the tenant has indicated that they wish to be rehoused. e. Where the client approaches their home borough to make use of the Reciprocal Agreement, a request for alternative accommodation to Partners in the chosen area should be made by email using the Reciprocal ‘Urgent Property Request and Nominations’ form to the named person on the Reciprocal contact list. f. When rehousing a high risk client (established through risk assessment) the case will be discussed between the most senior housing options officers to ensure a swift resolution. g. Where a reciprocal request has been made, the receiving borough will acknowledge receipt of the request within 3 working days. A decision on whether they will accept the reciprocal move will be confirmed to the requesting borough within 5 working days. h. Where a reciprocal request is accepted, partners must aim to complete the procedure as swiftly as is reasonably possible. i. The Partner requesting assistance will be responsible for advising Partners and the sub regional Homelessness & Overcrowding Coordinator if and when an offer has been made and accepted. 2 j. All referrals will be subject to the policies and procedures of the receiving borough. k. Where a Partner assists in the housing of a tenant of another Partner, the referring borough will owe a property of similar size and type to the receiving borough. 4 Additional Operational Considerations; a. OVERCROWDING: If the client was overcrowded in their previous accommodation, the size of the property the applicant is offered will be in accordance with the receiving borough’s policy on management transfer b. PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION: After the person has been housed in permanent accommodation, the referring borough should assign a property to the receiving borough. This should be done as soon as practicably possible. c. LIKE-FOR-LIKE PROPERTIES: The reciprocal property should be of a similar standard and type where possible to the property that the applicant has received. The property will be of the same size as the property in which the applicant has been rehoused, as opposed to the property they have vacated – although this will be subject to negotiation between the relevant parties. d. HOUSING BENEFIT PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS: Housing Benefit will pay on 2 properties for up to 4 weeks (if there is no intention to return) or 52 weeks (if there is an intention to return). A decision on whether the person will be moving needs to be made quickly and, if they are not to return, notice given to the landlord. e. Where an individual is not already in receipt of housing benefit, a claim can be made. f. Boroughs can consider the use of a Discretionary Housing Payment ( DHP) for payment of rent g. CHANGE OF LANDLORD: Households changing landlords will be provided with details of the receiving landlords’ policies and given the opportunity to discuss the different policies and procedures. 5 Offer of Accommodation: a. The receiving borough will make one offer of housing and will contact the applicant or the host/referring borough with the viewing details. b. Applicants will then have 24 hours to make a decision following a property viewing. c. Should the applicants refuse the offer, they will need to provide reasons to the host/referring borough, and it will be for the receiving borough to make a decision whether they want to make another offer of housing. d. Where more than one offer is made, the tenant will consider the offer which was made first. e. In certain circumstances it might be appropriate to waive the 28 day notice period, by agreement of both organisations, in the interests of safety and 3 security of the tenant. This will be at the discretion of the nominating and receiving Partners. f. Once the tenant has relinquished their tenancy the host/referring borough will offer the receiving borough a property of equal size. Alternatively a property can be banked for recall at a later date, to be taken up within a year. g. Where a Partner is unable to provide a suitable reciprocal property within a reasonable period, they are expected to offer an alternative (i.e. 2 x 2 bed properties in return for a 4 bed property); the decision of whether to accept such an offer would be at the discretion of the Partner owed the property. h. Where Partners are consistently receiving more households than they are moving they can temporarily opt out until the balance is redressed. The suggested guide figure is 20% more households than other Partners. 6 Provision of support: a. The Partners recognise that households that need to move may need additional support and will work together with specialist agencies. Partners will make referrals to other agencies where the tenant agrees that they should do so, with the aim of delivering a holistic response to the households needs. b. We recognise that each case, and each set of circumstances, is unique and that each will require an individual client-centred response. c. We recognise that children and vulnerable people might live in violent and abusive households and may be at risk as a result. Their safety and security is paramount and if there are any doubts a referral must be made to Social Services or the Police Child Protection Unit or a MARAC referral. 7 Monitoring & Evaluation Arrangements: a. The NLHP Homelessness & Overcrowding Coordinator will monitor this Agreement and is to be notified of the outcome of applications. b. The signatories will discuss the working of the Agreement and any amendments required as a standard agenda item at the 6-weekly sub regional Housing Needs Group meeting. c. Requests by other social landlords to sign up to the Agreement will be dependent on the agreement of the participating Partners. d. The sub regional Housing Needs Group meeting will monitor and evaluate the Reciprocal Agreement. The Agreement will be reviewed annually. In the unlikely event of a dispute, the disputed case will be discussed at the Housing Needs Group meeting.
Recommended publications
  • Download Our Student Guide for Over-18S
    St Giles International London Highgate, 51 Shepherds Hill, Highgate, London N6 5QP Tel. +44 (0) 2083400828 E: [email protected] ST GILES GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AGED 18 LONDON IGHGATE AND OVER H Contents Part 1: St Giles London Highgate ......................................................................................................... 3 General Information ............................................................................................................................. 3 On your first day… ............................................................................................................................... 3 Timetable of Lessons ............................................................................................................................ 4 The London Highgate Team ................................................................................................................. 5 Map of the College ............................................................................................................................... 6 Courses and Tests ................................................................................................................................. 8 Self-Access ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Rules and Expectations ...................................................................................................................... 10 College Facilities ...............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Postal Codes, UK Towns and Counties
    United Kingdom POSTAL CODES, TOWNS and COUNTIES Unlike most countries, which use a fully numeral system, the alpha-numeric UK postal codes (in use since 1971) commence with two mnemonic (memorable) alphabetical symbols based upon the name of the principal town, city or region. county or region code town or city other towns or regions Hebrides HS Hebrides Orkney, Shetland KW Kirkwall Highlands IV Inverness Grampian AB Aberdeen Tayside DD Dundee Fife KY Kirkcaldy North Lanark FK Falkirk Perth, Kinross PH Perth Stirling Argyll PA Paisley Argyll Glasgow G Glasgow South Lanark ML Motherwell Ayrshire KA Kilmarnock Ayr Lothians EH Edinburgh Borders TD Tweed Dumfries, Galloway DG Dumfries Isle of Man IM Isle of Man Northern Ireland BT Belfast Northern Ireland Cumbria CA Carlisle Northumberland NE Newcastle Gateshead County Durham SR Sunderland County Durham DH Durham County Durham TS Teeside Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool North Yorkshire DL Darlington North Yorkshire YO York North Yorkshire HG Harrogate East Yorkshire HU Hull West Yorkshire BD Bradford West Yorkshire LS Leeds West Yorkshire HX Halifax West Yorkshire HD Huddersfield West Yorkshire WF Wakefield South Yorkshire S Sheffield Barnsley, Rotherham, Chesterfield South Yorkshire DN Doncaster Lancashire LA Lancaster Lancashire FY Fylde Blackpool Lancashire PR Preston Lancashire BB Blackburn Lancashire BL Bolton Lancashire OL Oldham Lancashire WN Wigan Lancashire L Liverpool Manchester M Manchester Salford Cheshire SK Stockport Cheshire WA Warrington Cheshire CH Chester Birkenhead Cheshire
    [Show full text]
  • London in Focus – an Insight Into Our Work in This Iconic City and the Greater London Region
    ISSUE 3 - 2019 GRAHAM NEWS AND UPDATES FROM LONDON Introduction Welcome to the third edition of London in Focus – an insight into our work in this iconic city and the Greater London region It has been over two years since our last instalment of London in Focus. During the intervening period, we’ve witnessed a plethora of seismic events, from the vote in favour of leaving the European Union, to the election of Labour’s Sadiq Khan as London Mayor, a snap General Election and the tragedy at Grenfell. Nationally and globally, it has been an era of unprecedented political and economic upheaval. Naturally, investors, developers and public bodies continue to exhibit a degree of caution with regards to capital programmes, infrastructure schemes and routes to market. In terms of the broader health of our economy, construction is often viewed as an accurate barometer. Clearly the industry has slowed in comparison to the spikes of previous years, but the outlook, particularly in London, appears healthy, even optimistic. From our point of view, we’ve enjoyed sustained momentum within the city and the wider region. In parallel, we’ve grown considerably as a Group, recording an annual turnover of £767m for 2018, with a healthy cash balance sheet that puts us in a strong financial position. From the platform of our Old Jewry office, we have completed a range of stellar developments across the city, and its surrounding boroughs, while our order book for the next three years is full of high-profile, cutting edge schemes. Our portfolio features construction, refurbishment and estate rationalisation projects for a range of high-profile universities including UCL and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, while we are currently upgrading QMUL’s School of Mathematical Sciences.
    [Show full text]
  • North London Joint Waste Strategy - SEA Draft, May 2008
    The North London Joint Waste Strategy - SEA Draft, May 2008 - North London Joint Waste Strategy SEA Draft May 2008 North London Waste Authority Unit 169, Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road Tottenham N17 9LN Page 1 The North London Joint Waste Strategy - SEA Draft, May 2008 - FOREWORD Managing North London’s Waste The seven North London boroughs and the North London Waste Authority have achieved much in recent years, through co-ordinated and targeted action on waste prevention, recycling and composting. Our services have never been better. This strategy will be the foundation of still greater improvements as we start to develop and implement the next generation of waste services that will treat waste as a resource and will minimise environmental impacts, particularly those which may contribute to climate change. Above all we will ensure a balanced approach, with value for money on behalf of local council tax payers being essential if waste is truly to be managed in the best interests of North London. This work, however, will need everyone to play their part – all residents, all businesses, all local groups and organisations, and all public services must work to minimise the amount of waste we produce and maximise the amount we recycle and compost. I hope very much you will join us in this endeavour. Councillor Brian Coleman AM, FRSA Chairman of the North London Waste Authority Page 2 The North London Joint Waste Strategy - SEA Draft, May 2008 - Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Page 4 Chapter 2: Background Page 10 Chapter 3: Statutory Requirements
    [Show full text]
  • Young People's Gatherings in the Urban Public Realm Enhancement
    Young People's Gatherings Ref 066 in the Urban Public Realm enhancement of or distraction from its liveability Reem Zako University College London, London, United Kingdom [email protected] Keywords spatial configuration; social structures; urban space; public realm; young people Abstract This paper focuses on where young people gather in the urban public realm, and the effect that this may have on the perceived liveability of an area. Gatherings of young people have become very topical in the UK in recent years, especially because of the way that the public perceives this activity as intimidating and potentially aggressive. This has resulted in much concern by the public and interest by the press about the consequential antisocial nature of these gatherings, leading to government debate and legislation to control the antisocial behaviour of young children and adolescents in public space. The study is based on a questionnaire/survey distributed to residents in twenty housing estates and residential developments in London's city fringe district of Clerkenwell. The aim of the study was to capture the residents' perceptions about the liveability of their locality through an assessment of twenty-four different types of criteria relating to the built environment, including the condition of the urban fabric, the effects of traffic, and the prevalence of anti-social activities and behaviour. The dominant factor affecting the perceived liveability of an area was found to be the extent to which the public realm was blighted by the threatening nature
    [Show full text]
  • North London Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2009-10
    North London Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2009-10 Draft Report of Study Findings February 2011 North London Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2009-10 Lesley Mallett (North London Sub-Regional Co-ordinator) [email protected] Housing Services, London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP enquiries 020 8359 7015· · www.barnet.gov.uk © Copyright February 2011 The views expressed in this report are those of the consultants and do not necessarily reflect those of the North London Opinion Research Services The Strand, Swansea SA1 1AF enquiries 01792 535300 · [email protected] · www.ors.org.uk Jonathan Lee Chris Broughton Nigel Moore ·Hugo Marchant Catherine Nock Page 2 Contents Section 1: Introducing the Study ....................................................................................................................... 7 What Is A Strategic Housing Market Assessment? ............................................................................... 7 Satisfying the Process Checklist ............................................................................................................ 9 Providing the Core Outputs ................................................................................................................ 11 Section 2: The Study Context........................................................................................................................... 13 The National Policy Context ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 67 - County of London Sessions
    RESEARCH GUIDE 67 - County of London Sessions CONTENTS Introduction References and Catalogues Judicial Records Mental Deficiency Acts Licensing Records Indexes of records deposited with the Clerk of the Peace Parliamentary Deposited Plans Other copies of Parliamentary Deposited Plans Other Plans Highway Diversion and Stopping Up Orders Electrical Lighting Provisional Orders Introduction This research guide is a brief introduction to some of the more used series of records of the County of London Sessions. Until 1971 the Justices of the Peace for each county and many boroughs were responsible for holding Sessions of the Peace where criminal cases were tried before a jury. These were usually known as the Quarter Sessions because originally they were held four times a year, but in London they were held every month. More serious cases such as murder, rape, blasphemy, bigamy, libel, certain types of bribery and forgery, and offences under the Official Secrets Acts, were referred to the Central Criminal Court or outside London, to the assizes. The Justices also had other responsibilities including the confirmation of new licences granted to public houses, the stopping up and diversion of highways, and the registration and deposit of maps and documents for public record. The County of London was a new county which was formed in April 1889 from part of Middlesex north of the Thames and parts of Kent and Surrey south of the Thames. The Local Government Act 1888 which created the County of London also provided for a new court of quarter sessions which was given jurisdiction over the whole of the new administrative county except for the City of London which retained its own quarter sessions, the City of London Sessions, whose records are held by London Metropolitan Archives (CLA/047).
    [Show full text]
  • Northern Heights Circuit Highgate North Hill
    1 NORTHERN HEIGHTS CIRCUIT London’s open air museum : buildings, famous people, nature, social history HIGHGATE NORTH HILL The most architecturally diverse residential street in London? The walk starts at Highpoint at the junction of Introduction North Hill and North Road Highgate. It can be reached by public transport using route 143 The “North Hill Challenge” is one of a series from Archway Underground Station or by a of self guided walks designed by the Highgate short walk from Highgate Underground Society to showcase North London‟s heritage. Station. These walks reveal the amazing diversity that North London offers in terms of buildings, It ends close to an Esso petrol station where famous people, nature and social history, all of North Hill meets the Archway Road at its it in the open air. intersection with the Great North Road and Falloden Way. The 143 bus will take return The remarkable quality of Highgate North Hill you from this point to Archway Underground is the diversity of its building styles. Arguably Station. no other road in London, Britain, Europe or, who knows, even the world compares with Whereas many architectural walks focus on North Hill in terms of the diversity of its what is particular about each building, the domestic architecture. North Hill Challenge is designed to help the reader interpret generic features which characterise English domestic buildings of different periods. This, we hope, will enable the walker to better appreciate the buildings of other parts of London and indeed elsewhere in Britain by understanding the factors that caused them to be built the way they were.
    [Show full text]
  • The Arsenalisation of Space: the Imagined Community of a Football Club
    New Zealand Journal of Research on Europe Volume 9, Number 1, 2015 (June) THE ARSENALISATION OF SPACE: THE IMAGINED COMMUNITY OF A FOOTBALL CLUB William Sidnam Auckland, New Zealand Email: [email protected] New Zealand Journal of Research on Europe Volume 9, Number 1, 2015 (June) Abstract This article examines the relationship between the fan community of Arsenal Football Club and time-space distanciation. Since the end of European imperialism, the English football club has been quietly colonising the minds of spectators everywhere, introducing them to cultural forms that had once been unique to England. Now a global phenomenon, the North London club has an estimated 113 million fans worldwide. Using Benedict Anderson’s concept of “imagined community,” I analyse the conditions that have enabled fans from Lagos to Los Angeles, and from Beijing to Bangalore, to identify with a sporting institution based in a country they may have never visited. To explore the paradoxes of this long- distance relationship, this article analyses information about Arsenal that appeared in newspapers, blogs, and social media websites from 2004 to 2014. The study concludes that, with the advent of digital technologies, Arsenal is simultaneously embedded in English culture and accessible to the millions of fans living in the interminable spaces beyond its country’s borders. In an age marked by constant social and technological change, fans find in the football club a universal community capable of contributing to their sense of ontological security. Keywords: imagined community, identity, football fandom, Arsenal, time-space distanciation, mediated experience, liquid society, globalisation 135 New Zealand Journal of Research on Europe Volume 9, Number 1, 2015 (June) Introduction When Suleiman Omondi came home from the pub on 5th May 2009, he tied a rope around his neck and hanged himself.
    [Show full text]
  • The Big Chill Report
    The Big Chill Report April 2012 The Big Chill Report Introduction In January 2012, North London Cares embarked upon a project in partnership with Islington Council and Age UK Islington, funded by the Department for Health, to improve the health and wellbeing of elderly and vulnerable people across the London Borough of Islington during the coldest months of the winter. Our objective was to recruit young professional volunteers to knock on 3,600 doors in four Islington wards – Highbury West, St George’s, Canonbury and Hillrise – in order to identify those most vulnerable to the extreme cold weather, to encourage and better enable people to stay warm, and to raise awareness of the various support services and networks available to them through our three organisations and the National Health Service. Over the following eight weeks, North London Cares volunteers exceeded our target, eventually knocking on 4,002 doors, delivering leaflets, and creating thousands of interactions and over one hundred ongoing relationships to support those most at risk in the borough. Beginning on February 4th, during the first period of snow and the extreme cold snap, we recruited 19 volunteers from various professions and backgrounds, and applying proven social media techniques on a small scale. Those volunteers participated in 21 door-knocking sessions, normally lasting between one and three hours. Our volunteers were able to meet a number of specific requirements in the borough: we supported people to get their boilers fixed; we delivered cold and carbon monoxide alarms to vulnerable individuals to alert them to dangerous situations; we escorted elderly people to the hospital who otherwise would have struggled to make important medical appointments – and many, many people were reassured simply to see a friendly face, to have a conversation and to know there was a number to call in difficult times.
    [Show full text]
  • Historic Maps and Plans of Islington (1553-1894)
    Mapping Islington Historic maps and plans of Islington (1553-1894) Mapping Islington showcases a selection of maps and plans relating to the three former historic parishes that now form the London Borough of Islington. Maps are a window into the past. They provide historical evidence and offer a valuable insight to bygone streets, industries and landscapes. They are also an important source for local history research and help us to understand the development and changes that have shaped the Plan of parish of St Mary, character and identity of our borough. Islington and its environs. Surveyed by Edward Baker The display’s earliest map dates from mid-16th Century (c.1793) when Islington was a rural village outside of the City of London, ending with a survey published during the late-Victorian era when the area had become a densely populated and urbanised district of north London. The London Borough of Islington was formed in 1965 when the Metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury merged. In 2019 the borough covers an area of 14.86 km2 and stretches from Highgate in the north to the City of London borders in the south. Before 1900 Islington was historically administered in three distinct civil parishes: • St Mary Islington (north and central) • St James Clerkenwell (south-west) • St Luke Old Street (south-east) The Copperplate Map of London, c.1553-59 Moorfields The Copperplate Map of London is a large-scale plan Frans Franken of the city and its immediate environs. It was originally Museum of London created in 15 printed copperplate sections, of which only three are still in existence.
    [Show full text]
  • London's Poverty Profile
    London’s Poverty Profile Tom MacInnes and Peter Kenway London’s Poverty Profile Tom MacInnes and Peter Kenway www.londonspovertyprofile.org.uk A summary of this report can be downloaded in PDF format from www.londonspovertyprofile.org.uk We are happy for the free use of material from this report for non-commercial purposes provided City Parochial Foundation and New Policy Institute are acknowledged. © New Policy Institute, 2009 ISBN 1 901373 40 1 Contents 5 Foreword Acknowledgements 6 7 Introduction and summary 11 Chapter one: An overview of London London’s boroughs: ‘cities’ in their own right 11 The changing populations of Inner and Outer London 12 London’s diverse population 12 London’s age structure 15 London’s ‘sub-regions’ 16 At London’s margins 17 19 Chapter two: Income poverty Key points 19 Context 20 Headline poverty statistics, ‘before’ and ‘after’ housing costs 21 Before or after housing costs? 22 Poverty in London compared with other English regions 23 Poverty in Inner and Outer London 26 In-work poverty 27 29 Chapter three: Receiving non-work benefits Key points 29 Context 30 Working-age adults receiving out-of-work benefits 30 Children and pensioners in households receiving benefits 34 37 Chapter four: Income and pay inequality Key points 37 Context 38 Income inequality in London compared with other English regions 39 Inequalities within London boroughs 40 43 Chapter five:Work and worklessness Key points 43 Context 44 Working-age adults lacking work 45 Children in workless households 48 Lone parent employment rates 49 The
    [Show full text]