Agenda item

9.1

The report sets out a proposal to accept the funding for the Rough Sleeper Initiative 5 Programme which will allow the Council to progress and build on the current Rough Sleeper Initiatives programme of works and to support the Government’s aim to end rough sleeping. A total of £4,259,194 has been awarded for the proposal for a 3-year period.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Sub-Committee accepts the grant funding of £4,259,194 from The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for the Rough Sleeper Initiative Programme, as detailed and set out in this report, and in doing so agrees to be the Accountable Body for the funding.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

The preferred option is to accept the funding so that the Council can continue the current work and planned future work on the Rough Sleeper Initiative strategy.

9.3.2

The Housing Solutions service is well placed to accept and deliver the funding, as the existing teams are already in place to continue this work, and the service has the expertise to develop the future aims of the overall programme.

9.3.3

Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness, and this cohort of customers in the city are the most vulnerable. Our Homelessness Prevention strategy lists ‘tackling Rough Sleeping’ as a key priority. The Council is committed to working towards an end to rough sleeping and this funding opportunity allows us to continue this work.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

The alternative would be to not accept the funding. Without accepting the funding the programme would not be deliverable therefore this option has been discounted.

There are no other viable funding options from other agencies or from Council budgets. If the funding was not accepted it would mean that the council would need to cease the majority of targeted work with people who are rough sleeping or have previously been rough sleeping, and the risk of higher numbers of people sleeping rough would be high.

The funding proposal allows the Council to continue its current work and expand further on this.

9.1

The Director of Housing Services submitted a report setting out a proposal to accept the funding for the Rough Sleeper Initiative 5 Programme which will allow the Council to progress and build on the current Rough Sleeper Initiatives programme of works and to support the Government’s aim to end rough sleeping. A total of £4,259,194 has been awarded for the proposal for a 3-year period.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Finance Sub-Committee accepts the grant funding of £4,259,194 from The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for the Rough Sleeper Initiative Programme, as detailed and set out in this report, and in doing so agrees to be the Accountable Body for the funding.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

The preferred option is to accept the funding so that the Council can continue the current work and planned future work on the Rough Sleeper Initiative strategy.

9.3.2

The Housing Solutions service is well placed to accept and deliver the funding, as the existing teams are already in place to continue this work, and the service has the expertise to develop the future aims of the overall programme.

9.3.3

Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness, and this cohort of customers in the city are the most vulnerable. Our Homelessness Prevention strategy lists ‘tackling Rough Sleeping’ as a key priority. The Council is committed to working towards an end to rough sleeping and this funding opportunity allows us to continue this work.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

The alternative would be to not accept the funding. Without accepting the funding the programme would not be deliverable therefore this option has been discounted.

There are no other viable funding options from other agencies or from Council budgets. If the funding was not accepted it would mean that the council would need to cease the majority of targeted work with people who are rough sleeping or have previously been rough sleeping, and the risk of higher numbers of people sleeping rough would be high.

The funding proposal allows the Council to continue its current work and expand further on this.