Supporting People chief quits to take up new ODPM role

The head of the government’s funding programme for supported housing is leaving her job later this month.

Wendy Jarvis, who runs the Supporting People regime at the ODPM, is moving to the department’s human resources division on 14 March. Jarvis took the reins a year ago, following the departure of Bert Provan in November 2003.

The interim head will be Jane Everton, a programme manager in the ODPM’s homelessness directorate.

The ODPM plans to advertise for a new Supporting People head. A spokeswoman said: “There will be a smooth transition and when [Jarvis] goes, her work will be managed properly.”

The news follows the ODPM’s decision to make 11 of 17 performance indicators optional for organisations providing Supporting People services. In a letter to chief executives, Jarvis said she had made the change to reduce bureaucracy.

The news was welcomed by housing associations but met with consternation from several councils, which have to monitor the performance of care providers in their area.

Diane Henderson, head of care and support at the National Housing Federation, said the change would help to reduce the administrative burden on Supporting People providers.

She said: “It’s great that they are looking at outcomes for individuals and not ticking boxes. Having 17 performance indicators is nonsense. We would like them to look at other things like value for money reports, where people are getting lost in the detail.”

However, some organisations felt the change could lead to a drop in quality of services and make it more difficult for councils to monitor performance of schemes.

Steve Rumbelow, director of housing at Manchester council, said: “The decision to abandon the supplementary service objectives is very worrying. Particularly if it’s an indicator of future trend that regards quality services and listening to service users as bureaucracy.”

n Meanwhile, a parliamentary committee has been told that Yorkshire & Humber has the highest number of homeless households per thousand people outside London.

The public accounts committee heard on Monday that homeless teenagers and asylum seekers made up a notable portion of the figures. For example, asylum seekers made up 12% of those accepted as homeless in 2002/3 in the region and 6.1% in 2003/4.

Terrie Alafat, head of the ODPM’s homelessness directorate, told the committee: “There has been an increase in 16- and 17-year-olds. That’s something we recognise and are working with the government office [for Yorkshire & Humber] on this.”

She added that the ODPM was also working to prevent asylum seekers becoming homeless after they are granted indefinite leave to remain in the country.

and have to leave their accommodation provided by the National Asylum Support Service.