Hertsmere's service for homeless people, recently described as being among the worst in the country, is to be brought directly under the borough council's control.

Earlier this year, a Government inspector's report said the service to provide social housing for the homeless, provided by Borehamwood's Ridgehill Housing Association under contract to the borough council, was "poor" and unlikely to improve.

The report said it took too long for homeless people to be registered, with an average waiting time of 103 days, and that it was wrong for people to be housed in bed and breakfast accommodation as far away as Slough in Berkshire.

But since the report Ridgehill and Hertsmere have improved the service, and cut waiting times to around 30 days.

Ridgehill's head of housing Lily Smith said the service had been inadequate because too little funding had been provided in the council's original contract, which had been agreed in 1994.

The association had been subsidising the service with its own funds, but had a duty to put its own tenants first.

"Over the last year we have put a lot more resources into the service," she said, adding: "My biggest concern is that people get the best service. Someone who needs that service is desperate. It doesn't matter who does it, so long as there is someone to help."

Council leader Neil Payne said that the service had improved a great deal since the Government report, and was bound to improve further when it was being run by a single organisation, as there would be less red tape.

But he said it could be put out to contract again when council officers had addressed the issues raised by the report. The council may also seek help from voluntary organisations in finding shelter for the homeless.

June 19, 2002 13:00