Housing Committee
Agenda Item 52 (2)
Subject: Housing – Deputation referred from the Public Engagement meeting held on the 16 December 2021
Date of meeting: 19 January 2022
Report of: Executive Director for Governance, People & Resources
Contact Officer: Name: Mark Wall
Tel: 01273 291006
Email: mark.wall@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All
1.1 To receive the following deputation which was presented at and referred from the public engagement meeting held on the 16 December 2021.
2.1 That the Committee responds to the deputation either by noting it or where it is considered more appropriate, calls for an officer report on the matter which may give consideration to a range of options and writes to the deputation spokesperson setting out the committee’s decision(s).
3.1 To receive the following deputation along with the extract from the public engagement meeting which is detailed in appendix 1:
Spokesperson Jim Deans
On 22nd October 2020 John Hadman’s petition came before you, it has been supported by 4,519 signatures. (It now has over 6000) It was agreed by a majority of councillor members that a 24 x 7 shelter for the homeless would be put in place, yet here we are 13 months later with a more fragmented service than ever.
There is plenty council could be applauded for with an increase in many services at a huge cost we must add but genuine increases in service. Many more organisations including from the voluntary sector have committed to providing services in the city for the homeless, rough sleepers and now refugees. Many millions have been spent yet here we are still no shelter, the reason the shelter is so important is pretty straight forward we function as a hospital without an Accident & Emergency dept. there is no triage, people are left to wander the streets, the current answers just do not work. We have a "Secret SWEP" an emergency protocol that does not have a "turn up location" when SWEP is called people cannot just turn up and get life-saving shelter, they need to go into a data system their details need to be recorded, locations should be found prior and then a small search party is sent out looking for them. Already the council has agreed a few may be missed, is there any justification in leaving people to freeze when a much simpler answer was in place.
SWEP was working the council claimed it was far too popular, is that not a success. The public was made aware at around 12noon voluntary groups went out, social media was used the community joined together and supported the Emergency.
John Hadman’s petition which had councillors support this was months ago and would be a solution if only we take a more proactive and preventative approach. The shelter would be a triage, regardless of who, when or why, It would be there, a focus for the services to work from a secure area supported by "the city". In the City of Sanctuary" where we are welcoming refugees, men. women and children who have travelled thousands of miles to get safety are finding it in Brighton & Hove yet if you are a victim of domestic violence on a Friday night you have nowhere to run to, this is why so many victims return to the perpetrator or are picked up in a worse state by emergency services.
A few days on the street are all it takes to introduce you to cheap drugs or even cheaper alcohol anything to take the mental anguish away for a few hours. Make no mistake every professional I have ever spoken with understands the importance of early intervention, preventing one night is the solution and we must go further.
So Brighton and Hove City Council we urgently call upon you again to ask that you live up to those commitments made toward John Hadman's petition and to your agreement to open a 24 x 7 shelter of safety. As the founder of Sussex Homeless Support, and as a Founder Member of the Brighton & Hove Housing Coalition I will be taking your response back to these organisations and every other Professional & Voluntary groups to mobilise them and achieve what was promised all those months ago.......
Supported by:
1. Charles Harrison 2. Dave Croydon
3. David Thomas 4. Jan Pawluk
5. Barry Hughes
Ward affected: All
Brighton & Hove City Council
Public Engagement Meeting
4.30pm 16 December 2021
Virtual
MINUTES
|
Present: Councillor Robins (Chair), Allcock, Appich, Atkinson, Bagaeen, Barnett, Brennan, Brown, Childs, Clare, Davis, Deane, Druitt, Evans, Gibson, Hamilton, Heley, Hills, Janio, John, Knight, Mac Cafferty, McNair, Meadows, Mears, Nemeth, Nield, Osborne, Peltzer Dunn, Pissaridou, Powell, O'Quinn, Shanks, Simson, C Theobald, Wilkinson and Williams. |
4. DEPUTATIONS
4.1 The Mayor reported that four deputations had been received from members of the public and that he would invite the spokesperson to introduce their deputation and then the relevant Chair to respond. He noted that 15 minutes were set aside for the consideration of deputations.
4.2 The Mayor invited Jim Deans as the spokesperson for the deputation to join and address the meeting; noting that the deputation related to housing issues in the city.
4.3 Jim Deans spoke on the deputation relating to the provision of a homeless shelter in the city.
4.4 Councillor Gibson thanked Mr Deans for presenting the deputation and stated that since the pandemic things had changed, and the operation SWEP was no longer viable or recommended. The aim now was to house people as quickly as possible in line with government guidance and to seek to reduce the numbers of rough sleeper as much as possible. It was intended to provide additional rooms over the winter period, and he was happy to discuss matters further with Mr deans outside of the meeting.
4.5 The Mayor thanked Mr Deans for joining the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. He explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to the Housing Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.