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Agenda item
Rough Sleeper Bid
(Andrew Palmer, Assistant Director, Housing and Built Environment)
Minutes:
Michael Courts, Housing Policy and Performance Officer presented a report on the Rough Sleeping bid, to update the LSP on the partnership with Eastbourne / Lewes Councils, and the additional funding to reduce rough sleeping as well as the proposed programme of activities and mobilisation timetable.
It was mentioned that rough sleeping had been increasing in East Sussex, especially in Hastings and Eastbourne.. Funding of £664,000 had been approved for 2018/19, with a bid for additional funding in 2019/20 submitted, but yet to be confirmed. The scheme would be working with partners to improve accessibility to support services, temporary accommodation, and long-term housing solutions. The key message that would be sent would be to fill the gaps between the current services with the new scheme.
The bid aims for a cross-county partnership, with plans to work with West Sussex, using a CHAIN block database, to aid with information sharing. This was opted for as individual needs would need to be met for those who live a transient lifestyle. He said that the proposal planned included a multi-disciplinary team, focusing on health, mental health, social care, substance misuse and housing services as well as an enhanced accommodation pathway, an expanded outreach service and Rough Sleeping Prevention Service.
The scheme would have a holistic approach, with the service aiming to meet as many of the needs of the individual as possible. Furthermore, the service would be hosted through core services for robust pathways in to statutory services.
It was stated that current accommodation pathways and services would be enhanced, with eight assessment beds across Hastings, Eastbourne and Lewes that would provide a stable environment for the multi-disciplinary team to carry. It was further noted that there would be 20 housing first units that would support those with the most complex needs with a long term housing solution and a stable environment.
With the scheme in action, he noted that there would be a short timescale to mobilise the project, as they now recruit key posts including Senior Project Co-Ordinator and the members of the Multi-Disciplinary Team. On top of this, they were currently identifying suitable accommodation for assessment and Housing First units.
Despite the aim to reduce rough sleeping, it was said that this scheme would only be a small fix to a larger problem. A question was raised in regards to the developments in the Adult Social Care Consultation. The reply was that they thought it would be sustainable moving forwards, with preventative support. But there would be a need to share learning.
The group stated that this was a considerable sum of funding, and there should be a push to further strengthen links between organisations in the voluntary sector in regards to this.
There was a question in regards to whether if a problem arose, if the structure of the scheme would change. He answer was that there was currently a strategic and management board, with the latter overseeing operational parts of the scheme. On top of this, they had committed to a flexible programme.
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