Terms of reference

The Action Group is a Welsh Government task group, which will report to Welsh Ministers. The group will work independently of Welsh Government to provide policy recommendations on the actions and solutions required to address the following questions:

• What framework of policies, approaches and plans is needed to end homelessness in Wales? (What does ending homelessness actually look like?)
• What immediate actions can we take to reduce rough sleeping between now and the winter of 2019/20, and to end rough sleeping altogether?
• How do we put the delivery of rapid and permanent rehousing at the heart of preventing, tackling and ending homelessness?
• How can we ensure joined-up local partnerships and plans are put in place to prevent, tackle and end homelessness throughout Wales?

The Group will report to Welsh Ministers both in providing regular updates on their plans and progress, and in delivering final recommendations against the four questions set out above.
 

The Minister for Housing and Local Government has agreed the following membership of the Action Group. Members are invited on the basis of their individual experience and expertise, and therefore no substitutes will be allowed.

• Jon Sparkes (chair), Chief Executive, Crisis
• Bonnie Navarra, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Seconded to the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner
• Clare Budden, CEO, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association
• Clarissa Corbisiero, Director of Policy and External Affairs & Deputy Chief Executive, Community Housing Cymru
• Frances Beecher, Chief Executive, Llamau, and chair of End Youth Homelessness Cymru
• Gaynor Toft, Corporate Manager (Housing), Ceredigion County Council
• Glynne Roberts, Programme Manager, Well North Wales, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
• John Puzey, Chief Executive, Shelter Cymru
• Katie Dalton, Director, Cymorth Cymru
• Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, Chief Executive, The Wallich
• Naomi Alleyne, Director of Social Services and Housing, Welsh Local Government Association
• Dr Peter Mackie, Reader, Cardiff University
• Tamsin Stirling, Freelance homelessness and housing expert

Unless a quorum is participating, no proposal is to be voted on, except a proposal to call another meeting. The quorum for the Action Group may be fixed from time to time by the Chair, but it must never be less than seven (of the thirteen members), and unless otherwise fixed it is seven.

If the total number of Action Group members for the time being is less than the quorum required, the Group must not take any decision other than a decision:

(a) to appoint further Action  Group members, or
(b) to urgently meet to discuss with Welsh Government Minister and/or Deputy Director.

Welsh Government officials will provide secretariat support to the Group and will act as a central co-ordination point for the cascade and distribution of meeting material and other documents.

The Action Group will ensure that they tackle their task in the context of the following principles:

• bring individual knowledge and experience to the task and leave corporate identity at the door
• act quickly, bringing evidence and ideas to the very first meeting and taking work on as necessary in between meetings to ensure rapid progress
• inspire and drive change and improvement
• focus on action and solutions for both immediate and long term change
• draw on evidence, including direct personal experience of homeless and formerly homeless people
• ensure change leads to improvement throughout the system
• lead across the whole system working with and through a wide range of partners

In delivering the above principles, the Group will consider how they can demonstrate and test innovation throughout the scope of the project.

The Group will bring their different viewpoints together with the evidence to form joint recommendations. In the case of differences of opinion, the Group will ensure these are surfaced, addressed and do not get in the way of rapid work to set out solutions.

• Friday 28 June 2019
• Friday 19 July 2019
• Thursday 22 August 2019
• Wednesday 18 September 2019
• Wednesday 9 October 2019
• Thursday 14 November 2019
• Wednesday 8 January 2020
• Thursday 30 January 2020
• Thursday 27 February 2020 
• Wednesday 18 March 2020