Terms of reference

The Ending Homelessness National Advisory Board will provide advice to the Minister for Climate Change on policy development in relation to the Homelessness Prevention and Housing Support sector.

The main purpose of the Board will be to provide expert and cross sector advice to the Minister on the effectiveness of the cross Government policy response to preventing and tackling homelessness and providing effective housing support solutions. 

The Board will oversee and inform the development, delivery and implementation of the action plan arising from the recommendations made by the Homelessness Action Group and ensure timely progress of the transformation agenda, as set out in the Welsh Government’s strategy for preventing and ending homelessness.

The role of Board will be to:

• advise the Minister on the strategic direction for the policy development of preventing and tackling homelessness and providing effective housing support solutions;
• advise the Minister on how the sector views the effectiveness of homelessness prevention related grant funding in delivering against their objectives. This includes both the Housing Support Grant and the Homelessness Prevention Grant;
• develop mechanisms to be able to listen to the views and experiences of people using housing support services, and use them to inform the advice provided to the Minister;
• ensure that advice takes account of the Welsh Government’s Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) and that it reflects the diverse nature of society and addresses the inequalities that certain groups face;  
• consider relevant national and international research and benchmarking data and evidence, and use it to inform the advice provided to the Minister;
• consider cross government issues and provide cross-Ministerial advice, ensuring that policy advice takes account and is seen through a population health lens; and
• provide ad hoc advice and undertake specific pieces of work as requested by the Minister.  

• It is an advisory body and as such must be bound by the reasonable expectations of such a body.  It is important to recognise that the Board does not have any statutory powers or functions.
• The Board advises the Welsh Government within the remit agreed for it by the Minister Climate Change. The Board will provide an update from each meeting to the Minister, including any advice for consideration by the Minister. 
• The Board can decide whether to establish sub-groups and to co-opt members as circumstances dictate. It may choose to form sub-groups to look at particular tasks, e.g. where it requires a particular policy or delivery focus that the whole Board may not need to concentrate upon, or on cross-cutting areas of work. The Board, in agreement with the Chair, will decide how to allocate additional work and responsibilities on an ongoing basis.  All sub-groups/task and finish groups will report to the Board.

• Members are appointed as a representative of their particular sector as outlined in Annex 1.
• Members will be expected to notify the Chair when there is a potential conflict of interest relating to a specific item on the agenda.
• To ensure continuity, deputies will only be allowed to attend meetings in exceptional circumstances. Members will need prior agreement from the Chair to   nominate a deputy to attend on their behalf.
• The Board will require one third of members to be in attendance to be quorate.
• Membership of the Board will be reviewed annually to ensure that it is fit for purpose.
• Membership is unremunerated.  Any travel and subsistence expenses incurred by independent and service user members of the Board will be reimbursed by the Housing Policy Division.
• Video and/or audio conferencing will be used to facilitate wider attendance and reduce travelling times. We will ensure that we will align with the requirements of the Welsh Language Standards and establish language preference for contributing.

The board will meet at least four times a year, including a planning day at the beginning of the year to agree the work programme for the Board. Additional meetings will be held when required.

Housing Policy Division in Welsh Government will provide administrative and secretarial support to the Board and will act as a central co-ordination point for the cascade and distribution of meeting materials and other documents. The Chair will determine the agenda, including papers required, for each meeting, taking into account any suggestions or requests from individual members.