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Issue - meetings
Reducing Rough Sleeping
Meeting: 02/03/2020 - Cabinet (Item 248)
248 Reducing Rough Sleeping PDF 137 KB
Decision:
1. To acknowledge progress to reduce rough sleeping over the past 18 months
2. To authorise expenditure of £1,584,518 to continue the programme of services on 2020/21
3. To approve a 12 month extension to the existing contract with Sanctuary Supported Living for the RSI Assessment Centre
4. To grant an exemption to the council’s financial rules under paragraph 21c of the Financial Operating Procedures, to enable the council to procure the outreach, day centre and Housing First service from the Seaview Project
5. To grant an exemption to the council’s financial rules under paragraph 21c of the Financial Operating Procedures, to enable the council to procure the Rapid Rehousing Pathway service from Southdown Housing Association
6. To grant an exemption to the council’s financial operating rules under paragraph 21c of the Financial Operating Procedures, to enable the council to procure a case management system from Inform
7. To delegate authority to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to deliver the project to the relevant senior housing officer
8. To delegate authority to the relevant senior housing officer, in consultation with the lead member, to draft a joint rough sleeping reduction strategy with the local authorities in East Sussex. The draft strategy will be presented to Cabinet later in the year
9. To delegate authority to the relevant senior housing officer, in consultation with the lead member, to finalise arrangements for the mobilisation and delivery of the projects
10. To delegate authority to the Chief Legal Officer to enter into contractual arrangements for the delivery of the projects
11. To delegate authority to the relevant senior housing officer to agree adaptations to the services in 2020/21, if funding arrangements change, and to delegate authority to the Chief Legal Officer to agree contract variations as required
Minutes:
The Assistant Director Housing and Built Environment presented a report to update members on progress to reduce rough sleeping in East Sussex over the past 18 months. To seek approval to mobilise a new programme of interventions in 2020/21.
The Assistant Director Housing and Built Environment also highlighted that according to the most recent street count taken on the 27th February 2020, there were 12 rough sleepers recorded which is down from a high of 24 in November 2019.
Hastings Borough Council have not changed how the figures are counted, so these statistics are directly comparable. At the time the count was undertaken, the winter provision wasn’t included. These numbers do also not include caravan count, which is likely to add one or two to the final count.
The council is headed in the right direction and hope that the number will continue to fall in the future.
Councillor Batsford expressed that he is pleased the officers have had emails from central government expressing gratefulness for the success in reducing rough sleeping. It is an incredible achievement by officers and all voluntary organisations. Because of the short-term nature of the funding from central government, these items have to be presented urgently. Ideally, in the future, they would like to see more long-term funding from government so the council can really focus on the root causes of homelessness.
Councillor Batsford proposed approval of the recommendations of the report. This was seconded by Councillor Rogers.
Councillors thanked the officers for doing such a great job to reduce the number of rough sleepers and was very glad to hear that there has been recognition from the government. They also agreed that long term funding is needed.
Councillors also thanked the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to help achieve the reduction. The council are incredibly grateful for all the work these organisations do.
Councillor Chowney said that this funding and the work is about getting people off the streets and is very thankful for all the work that has been done. The results of this funding have been a massive success, and he is glad to see the council are leading innovators. However, the underlying issue is that support services for earlier prevention are still not being funded properly and further focus should be put on prevention in the future.
RESOLVED – (unanimously)
1. To acknowledge progress to reduce rough sleeping over the past 18 months
2. To authorise expenditure of £1,584,518 to continue the programme of services on 2020/21
3. To approve a 12 month extension to the existing contract with Sanctuary Supported Living for the RSI Assessment Centre
4. To grant an exemption to the council’s financial rules under paragraph 21c of the Financial Operating ... view the full minutes text for item 248
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