Appendix - North Kesteven District Council

E Supporting Minority Groups
Sheltered Housing Service – there are 14 council owned housing schemes across the District where
accommodation and individual support services are available to help residents to live more independent lives.
Lifeline service – currently providing outreach support backed by specialist communication equipment and a 24
hour monitoring service to around 1900 service users, made up of owner occupiers, NKDC tenants and tenants of
other landlords.
Floating Support Service – providing care and support to previously homeless applicants who have been
allocated temporary accommodation. This service assists people with resettlement and is primarily aimed at
vulnerable adults and families.
Gypsies/Travellers
The Council is under a duty to undertake survey work of travellers and gypsies needs over by 2007 and is
currently in partnership with other Lincolnshire Districts to pursue this. The intention is to incorporate this work into
the survey of the needs of minority groups which is the subject of a bid for Regional Housing Board funding.
Information from the survey will then establish a platform for meeting these needs on a county wide basis rather
than at District levels. Separate provision at District level is unlikely to recognise the wider needs of the travelling
community.
Analysis of existing ODPM information of gypsy/travellers caravan sites indicates that whilst Lincolnshire overall
has seen a slight rise in families staying on unauthorised sites this is not been the case in the District. According to
counts undertaken in July 2002 and July 2004, numbers of families staying on unauthorised sites has decreased
from 9 to 6. It is acknowledged that these counts only provide a snapshot of information within a relatively small
geographic area. The survey to be undertaken will consider more detailed needs and lead to improved service
planning.
37 Housing Strategy 2005 - 2008