2nd opinion: The commitments

Last month local government minister Nick Raynsford presented the awards to the councils who have been given beacon status, including the six successful under this year's "Tackling Homelessness" theme: Camden in north London, Harrow in Middlesex, Leicester, and Rochdale, Bolton and Trafford in Greater Manchester.

I was a member of the advisory panel with special responsibility for the homelessness bids. My role entailed assessing all the bids, visits to shortlisted councils and a final presentation to panel members. I was delighted by the excellent performance of the best councils. All the winners showed a strong commitment to providing the best possible service, a commitment shared by members, managers and front line staff.

There was also evidence of a more holistic approach to meeting the needs of homeless people. A number of councils have now adopted a "housing options" response to homeless applications, which brings together the homeless persons team with housing advice and private tenant liaison. In some areas, this has resulted in a significant fall in homeless acceptances – not by refusing to help, but by finding alternative solutions such as preventing evictions threatened because of housing benefit arrears or mediating successfully with a young person and his or her parents.

The best councils are doing much more to prevent homelessness and provide support so that, once housed, people do not become homeless again.

A growing number are developing tenancy sustainment teams to help vulnerable families successfully settle in their homes after they have been rehoused and to prevent the tragedy of repeat homelessness. And although there are still far too few councils with effective services for people leaving hospital or prison, there are some exciting new projects, many showing effective multi-agency partnerships.

Another positive development is that domestic violence forums and Women's Aid groups are working with some councils to provide help to women at risk of violence before it reaches crisis point and the victims arrive homeless with their children at the door of a refuge.

In some areas, outreach workers are now able to advise women so that they can move to a safe new home without having to experience the trauma and insecurity of moving through refuges and temporary accommodation.

At times the government speaks with rising desperation about the problems of public service reform. It might do well simply to look at what is being achieved on the ground in the best local authorities.

It should also note that the improvement has not been achieved by privatisation or by bringing in hit squads. It has been achieved by developing a clear vision of what the council seeks to achieve and then delivering this through strong political leadership, good management and committed front-line staff.

The successful beacon councils were very different in the approach and style, and faced different sorts of problems. What was common to them all was a passionate belief in what they are doing, and their determination to give the best possible service.

But still too few councils are matching these standards. Hopefully the dissemination programme that follows will inspire more councils to learn from the beacons and emulate their performance.