Agenda item

Night Stop Rough Sleeper Initiative

Decision:

The Executive RESOLVED that

 

(i)           the Night Stop project be supported;

 

(ii)          the Night Stop accommodation be provided through re-provisioning of improved accommodation for the Hope Hub; and

 

(iii)         the final costs and specification for the project be brought to future meetings of the Property Investment Working Group and the Executive for agreement.

 

Minutes:

The Executive considered a report on a proposed Night Stop project. It was reported that a bid made to the government had been successful in attracting £90,600 of funding to support setting up an emergency accommodation scheme. The proposed Night Stop scheme was aimed at stopping people moving to and staying on the streets by providing stopgap accommodation, which would to allow for accommodation requirements to be assessed and needs to be supported.

 

The Executive was advised that the Hope Hub would manage the Night Stop project at no revenue cost to the Council. It was intended that the scheme would be self-financing; the Hope Hub would be able to draw down on Universal Credit payments and this would provide the necessary funding. It was noted that if the scheme attracted clients who were not eligible for Universal Credit payments or other public funding, alternative funding would need to be found.

 

Members were informed it was proposed to fund the short-term accommodation as a capital project from the Affordable Housing reserve. The preferred approach for securing suitable accommodation for the project was to explore the re-provisioning of the porta cabin accommodation currently occupied by the Hope Hub. The potential for re-use of the existing porta cabin would also be looked at as part of this project.

 

A full business case, along with final costs and specification for the property, would be brought to the Executive in February 2021.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(i)        the Night Stop project be supported;

 

(ii)      the Night Stop accommodation be provided through re-provisioning of improved accommodation for the Hope Hub; and

 

(iii)     the final costs and specification for the project be brought to future meetings of the Property Investment Working Group and the Executive for agreement.

 

 

Supporting documents: