Roof Over Their Heads: a Victory Special Report on the Homeless Persons Act of ?1977 or 1983 - nd [1977-1983]

Title

Roof Over Their Heads: a Victory Special Report on the Homeless Persons Act of ?1977 or 1983 - nd [1977-1983]

Description

ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS [Series RADIO VICTORY ARCHIVE] A special programme about homeless people, produced by Radio Victory, for broadcast after the Homeless Persons Act of ?1977. Presented by JANE YOUNG. Number of homeless increasing [more than 52 thousand families]. Programme looks at provisions of Homeless Persons Act, what it means to the homeless and to local authorities who have to enforce it. Homeless people have become responsibility of local housing authority [used to be social services]. STEPHEN ROSS, MP for I.O.W. - got act through - considerable housing problems on I.O.W. COUNCILLOR JAMES HILL, Chairman of Housing Committee in Southampton in 1975 began housing aid centre. Southampton now deals with about 300 applications a year, 100 of these housed by local authority - describes categories of homelessness. BETTY BELL, chairman of Housing Committee, Havant - says Havant has not taken up its responsibilities towards homeless. COUNCILLOR WAKEFIELD of Portsmouth Housing Committee feels Portsmouth is justified in not taking up responsibilities, gives reasons, partly financial. STEPHEN ROSS - hopes in next rate support grant money will be allotted for rehousing. Says many authorities have already done a lot for homeless of Southampton. COUNCILLOR JAMES HILL - money from rates, hopes neighbouring authorities will take on some of burden. Some revenue from hostels. MIKE GARDINER, Assistant Director for Social Services in Hampshire, describes contribution of Hampshire County Council, are allocating 49 thousand pounds to District Councils, have arrangement with social services to deal with emergency homelessness. County Council is paying bed and breakfast bills for 23 families and has 123 properties used to provide temporary accommodation, thinks situation in Hampshire is reasonable. Fears about Act stem mainly from belief that anyone can turn up at housing department and claim homelessness, but Act specifies priority needs, after that all applicants screened by housing aid office of whom about a third are housed. STEPHEN ROSS - realised need to define categories of homelessness to prevent false claims. Gaining problem of homelessness - 1500 families in bed and breakfast accommodation in London last year, cost 2 million pounds. In South East Hampshire in October, of 63 families housed due to homelessness, 16 in bed and breakfast, cost 6-700 pounds per week. STEPHEN ROSS - bed and breakfast should be last resort. Greater use of empty short life property could be answer, eg Southampton, have made fit over 80 homes for 200 pounds per unit. One hundred thousand properties estimated empty in London. THERESA MORGAN and family among first to be offered short term property in Portsmouth, tells her story. Section 9 of Act provides for co-operation between housing authorities and registered housing associations. BOB PATERSON of Portsmouth Housing Association describes how co-operation might occur. Obligations of local authorities under new act, priority needs defined, aim to keep families together and those with special needs. Interview with MRS PROTHEROE -previously evicted, now in squat in Portsmouth. Chairmen of Housing Committees in Southampton, Portsmouth and Havant asked how they will deal with special needs of homeless:- Southampton - set up working party. Portsmouth - bring more houses into repair, looking at possibilities of using other buildings as hostels. Havant, worried by battered wife problem, have no short life property to convert, not confident would cope with problem, need much more housing, government should help. STEPHEN ROSS - thinks authorities will have to face responsibilities. [Box 6]

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Duration

00:30:21

Notes

Cue sheet comment Thursday 1st December indicates date. NB no commercial breaks.

Misc. notes

Single Track; Gauge:-1/8 inch tape

Production company

Radio Victory

Extent

1 tape

Credits

Interviewees

James Hill; Stephen Ross; Betty Bell; Councillor Wakefield; Mike Gardiner; Theresa Morgan; Bob Paterson; Mrs Protheroe

Presenter

Jane Young