Agenda item - Single Homeless and Rough Sleeper Accommodation & Support Services Remodelling & Tender

Report of the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing together with an extract of the Housing & New Homes Committee meeting held on 21 September 2016 (copies attached).

RESOLED - That the Committee agree the following:

1)        That the commissioning and procurement plans from October 2016 should be aligned with priorities within the Rough Sleeping Strategy 2016, the Council’s Housing Strategy 2015, the Homelessness Strategy 2014-19,and the Council’s priorities for the integration of social care and health through Better care;

2)        That the procurement and remodelling process outlined in the report for 2016-17 and 2017-18 be agreed;

3)        That the directly provided (in-house) services which are identified in Section 4 of this  report be included within the tender for the new accommodation and support model;

4)        That Policy, Resources and Growth Committee agree to the extension of existing contracts that are included in the service re-model to ensure continuity of service whilst procurement activity is being completed;

5)        That authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Health, Adult & Social Care to procure and enter into any contract to secure effective delivery of support services for vulnerable people as outlined in Section 3 of the report, having consulted with the Executive Directors for Economy, Environment & Culture, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing, Families, Children & Learning and the Monitoring Officer.

57.1         The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing in relation to Single Homeless and Rough Sleeper Accommodation & Support Services Remodelling & Tender. The report detailed the proposed remodelling and retendering of services to meet the changing needs of homeless people, target resources and improve the outcomes for this section of the population. This remodelling proposal included: commissioned accommodation and support services for homeless people and rough sleepers, and hostel accommodation and support services which were directly provided by Brighton & Hove City Council. It was also noted that the report had been considered by the Housing & New Homes Committee on 21 September 2016.

57.2         Councillor Daniel welcomed the report and highlighted the work that Councillor Moonan had undertaken as the lead on homelessness. The report allowed the authority to move forward to reduce the number of rough sleepers and the time they spent sleeping rough. The role of the authority was to do its best with the resources available and work to influence other stakeholders and the paper pulled together the evidence base. Councillor Daniel noted that from her own experience she was confident the initiative would reduce the ‘revolving door’ of people not progressing in hostel accommodation, and the move towards assessing rough sleepers indoors in ‘pop-up beds’ was seen as a humane step forward. Councillor Daniel hoped that the report could be agreed cross-party, and in closing she noted that the proposal to accommodate homeless people in empty properties during the winter was not a safe solution, and this ‘warehousing’ was not supported by the Administration.

57.3         Councillor Mac Cafferty expressed concern that the report proposed a reduction in the number of beds, and this was at odds with the aims of the initiative. He felt the tone of the report was one that sought to ‘manage cuts’ rather than fully address the problem. He also went on to highlight the concerns of local actions teams (LATs) and that they expected the homelessness problems in the city to be addressed. He noted that the Green Group could not support the report in full if it proposed a reduction in the overall number of beds.

57.4         In response to Councillor Mac Cafferty and Councillor Sykes it was clarified that whilst the report did propose a reduction in the number of beds this was in the context of the current provision not meeting the needs of the service users in the city. The service needed to be more focused on moving people through hostels into more permanent accommodation and the report was the means to achieve this. It was also highlighted that the authority needed specialised providers of services to achieve the outcomes based monitoring and move people through to more permanent accommodation.

57.5         Councillor Janio highlighted the importance of the report before the Committee, and went on to add that the Council should do everything within its power to assist rough sleepers. He welcomed the report, and it was agreed that further information on the financial implications could be forwarded on after the meeting.

57.6         In responds to Councillor A. Norman it was confirmed that the Council worked closely with the Armed Forces Network in relation to ex-servicemen who were rough sleepers.

57.7         Councillor Robins noted he had sat on the original Scrutiny Panel that looked at this area, and he commended the report.

57.8         The Chair then put each recommendation in the report to the vote individually: recommendations 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, & 2.8 were agreed unanimously and recommendation 2.6 was agreed with 8 in support and 2 against.

57.9         RESOLED - That the Committee agree the following:

1)        That the commissioning and procurement plans from October 2016 should be aligned with priorities within the Rough Sleeping Strategy 2016, the Council’s Housing Strategy 2015, the Homelessness Strategy 2014-19,and the Council’s priorities for the integration of social care and health through Better care;

2)        That the procurement and remodelling process outlined in the report for 2016-17 and 2017-18 be agreed;

3)        That the directly provided (in-house) services which are identified in Section 4 of this  report be included within the tender for the new accommodation and support model;

4)        That Policy, Resources and Growth Committee agree to the extension of existing contracts that are included in the service re-model to ensure continuity of service whilst procurement activity is being completed;

5)        That authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Health, Adult & Social Care to procure and enter into any contract to secure effective delivery of support services for vulnerable people as outlined in Section 3 of the report, having consulted with the Executive Directors for Economy, Environment & Culture, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing, Families, Children & Learning and the Monitoring Officer.