Agenda item - Additional Targeted Funding to Reduce Rough Sleeping

RESOLVED:

That the Health & Wellbeing Board grants delegated authority to the Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care to:

1)         procure and award contracts in accordance with the requirements of the  funding allocation from MHCLG for the provision of services for rough sleepers;

2)         vary the terms of existing contracts for the provision of rough sleeper services where permitted to give effect to the terms of the funding allocation from MHCLG for the provision of services for rough sleepers;

3)         to procure and award a contract for the provision of and management of a Rough Sleepers Hub and subject to satisfactory performance and available funds to agree extensions of that contract for an additional year;

4)         to take all steps necessary to establish and manage a night shelter over the winter of 2018/9 with funding from the H&ASC Commissioning  Budget

20.1    Officers introduced the report which detailed additional funding which the Council had successfully bid for to reduce rough sleeping over winter 2018/19. This would provide an additional 20 places on top of the Council funded night shelter.

20.2    Officers proposed a motion to amend recommendation 1.3 as shown in bold italics below to clarify the period of the potential extension:

“1.3   to procure and award a contract for the provision of and management of a Rough Sleepers Hub and subject to satisfactory performance and available funds to agree extensions of that contract for an additional year;”

20.3    Councillor Moonan stated that rough sleeping had been a priority for the administration and that the report was part of a broad programme which sought sustainable outcomes and to get people into stable accommodation. The recent consultation on the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol provision had received 334 responses and the majority of these welcomed the proposed drop in the threshold for enacting the protocol. There were an estimated 178 rough sleepers in the city and with the improved provision Councillor Moonan was optimistic that this would be significantly reduced.

20.4    Councillor Page stated that the report was a very positive development and hoped that the service could be provided beyond the one or possibly two years suggested in the report. He asked if the housing first model would be considered when assessing rough sleepers through the night shelter.

20.5    Officer responded that the Housing First model was still an option but it depended on the availability of suitable accommodation and so could not always be offered.

20.6    In response to Councillors Page and Taylor, Officers stated that in order to promote good governance they were trying to limited the number of Committees reports went to. As the Social Care budget and strategic oversight for programmes aimed at reducing rough sleeping sat with the Health & Wellbeing Board this report had been brought to this meeting. Where there were specific asks for other committees reports would be taken there for approval.

20.7    The Chair stated that the report would be circulated to members of the Housing & New Homes Committee for information.

20.8    Councillor Taylor stated that he was pleased that the Government had awarded this grant to the Council and was keen that oversight of the programme was maintained by either the Health & Wellbeing Board or Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

20.9    Officers responded that a high level of reporting to Central Government had been a requirement of the grant and that this data would also be available for scrutiny by Members.

20.10  The Director of Public Health stated that Community and Voluntary Sector partners had been excited by the prospect of being able to build upon the good work from last year when the Council had discussed the award with them.

20.11  The Chair asked the Board to formally thank the officers who had written the successful bid with short notice. The Health & Wellbeing Board agreed to formally give thanks to the officers.

20.12  The Chair called a vote; the Board agreed to amend recommendation 1.3 and to the substantive recommendations as amended.  

20.13  RESOLVED:

That the Health & Wellbeing Board grants delegated authority to the Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care to:

1)         procure and award contracts in accordance with the requirements of the  funding allocation from MHCLG for the provision of services for rough sleepers;

2)         vary the terms of existing contracts for the provision of rough sleeper services where permitted to give effect to the terms of the funding allocation from MHCLG for the provision of services for rough sleepers;

3)         to procure and award a contract for the provision of and management of a Rough Sleepers Hub and subject to satisfactory performance and available funds to agree extensions of that contract for an additional year;

4)         to take all steps necessary to establish and manage a night shelter over the winter of 2018/9 with funding from the H&ASC Commissioning  Budget