Agenda item - Homelessness and Rough Sleeping - Update

Extract from the proceedings of the Housing Committee meeting held on the 16 March 2022, together with a report of the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods & Communities.

96.1    Councillor Gibson introduced the report.

96.2    Councillor Williams welcomed the reduction in rough sleepers compared to the pre-covid numbers but noted there was still much to be done and looked forward to the creation of a new operation model for the homeless. However, there were many challenges and providing accommodation to homeless people could prevent significant disruption to their lives and it was important that that accommodation be of at least a reasonable standard. This vision was reflected in the Emergency Accommodation Charter which she would fully support.

96.3    Cllr Meadows said that when this matter went to the Housing Committee, she had said that there was no recognition in the report that over the last few years the government had given the Council an additional £22m for housing rough sleepers. She asked how Charter would be measured, what the smart targets would be and whether it would be achievable; many of the aspirational ideals were not within the local authority remit and not legally our responsibility. The Conservative Group would not therefore be supporting the Charter.

96.4    Council voted on the recommendation as set out in the report. Cllr Nemeth asked that the Minutes record that the Conservative Group abstained.

96.5    RESOLVED: That Council agreed to adopt the Emergency Accommodation Charter as an aspirational document and a standard against which the Council and its partners judge our policies, practices and outcomes.