Housing Committee
Agenda Item 53 (d)
Subject: Council placement of Homeless People and Rough Sleepers
Notice of Motion from the Conservative Group
Date of meeting: 19 January 2022
Proposer: Councillor Mears
Seconder: Councillor Meadows
Ward(s) affected: All
This Council:
a) Notes that Housing Committee has reported receiving Government funding totaling £21,272,376 million to address homelessness and rough sleeping (see link 1);
b) Has placed homeless people and rough sleepers in accommodation without adequate support, including:
i. At Kendal Court, significant failings of the Council have been identified in an Independent Report titled ‘Returning to Kendal Court’, September 2021 (see link 2)
ii. At Eastbourne, there have sadly been a number of fatalities in out-of-area placements;
c) Further notes, that a resident fleeing from unsafe accommodation provided by Brighton & Hove City Council in Eastbourne, pitched a tent at Old Steine Gardens for several weeks to escape the situation;
d) Calls on Audit & Standards Committee to commission a report to audit all Government funding received to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping through the pandemic; and
e) Calls on the Administration to send an urgent report to Housing Committee to take emergency action to ensure homeless people and rough-sleepers placed in accommodation by Brighton & Hove City Council have proper 24-hour support to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
Supporting Information:
Link 1: Questions and answers – Housing Committee 22 September 2021
Link 2: Report – Returning to Kendal Court – September 2021
https://www.brightonhoveconservativecouncillors.com/news/returning-kendal-court-independent-review