Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Housing Needs and Resources Manager on Homelessness & Rough Sleeping – Review & Strategy 2021.

Executive Councillor: R Fuller.

The Cabinet has

(a)  approved the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy 2021 as a consultation document; and

(b)  given delegated authority for the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Executive Leader, to adopt the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy 2021 after reviewing consultation responses.

A report by the Housing Needs and Resources Manager was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval to consult widely on the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy prior to its formal adoption.

By way of background the Executive Leader, as Executive Councillor for Housing and Economic Development, reported that the Cabinet had previously approved the draft Strategy in February 2020 but that the consultation period had not gone ahead as planned owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was noted that the Strategy had been updated in light of the response to the pandemic, in particular the “Everyone In” initiative which aimed at protecting vulnerable rough sleepers during the public health crisis.

The Executive Leader responded to a question which had been raised querying whether the change in administration at the County Council would impact upon the delivery of the Strategy. He responded by informing the Cabinet that no further reductions in resources/funding were expected to impact the District Council. In receiving the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Customers & Partnerships), it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet

(a)  approve the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy 2021 as a consultation document; and

(b)  give delegated authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Executive Leader, to adopt the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy 2021 after reviewing consultation responses.

The Panel is invited to consider and comment on the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Review & Strategy 2021.