Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from James Bromiley-Davis, Anne Corbett, Reverend Paul Kennedy, Henrika Priest and Ruby Sayed.

The Chair provided an update on the new staff that had joined the Community and Children’s Services Department to assist with homelessness and rough sleeping. She also thanked staff who were leaving their roles for new challenges.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 30 November 2022.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 30 November 2022 be approved as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

·         ‘Commissioner’ at page 12 should be altered to ‘Commander’

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk setting out the Sub Committee’s outstanding actions list.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Commissioner of the City of London Police to be heard.

There was no representative of the Commissioner of the City of London Police present.

London Council to be heard.

The Sub-Committee received a presentation from London Councils and a presentation from St. Mungo’s.

In response to a query, the Sub-Committee was informed that T1000 was a cohort created by central government and the Greater London Authority and was consisted of those users who had presented to local authorities within recent years. These users would often be suitable for different pathways that the City Corporation can offer.

Members discussed how the different services that the City Corporation offers for homeless and rough sleepers service users and how they interact.

In response to a query, Members were informed that 50% of rough sleepers are not UK nationals and that, if they wish and depending upon their entitlements, they could be supported to return to their country of origin or to contact family members.

RESOLVED – That the presentations be noted.

Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

The Sub-Committee received a verbal update of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Service updating it on the rough sleeper assessment centre, including the following points:

a)    The pre-commencement plan and conditions had been completed and staff were working towards a start on site of 20 March.

b)    A pre-commencement meeting had taken place with the professional team and contractor.

c)    Following 20 March initial site set-up, scaffolding would be installed and staff would work towards general construction activities. It was anticipated that the project would be completed by 3 November 2023.

In response to a query from a Member, the Sub-Committee was informed that the assessment centre was a 14-bed unit offering a route off the street for the outreach team’s disposal. The Sub-Committee was informed that the team’s aim was that a dignified assessment for onward referral would be completed within 28 days.

The Sub-Committee noted that there were various challenges in the construction industry, which could cause delays.

The Sub-Committee received a verbal update of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Service updating it on the Grange Road high support hostel. It was noted that the site could house 29 people and currently had 23 permanent guests with the remaining beds being held for SWEP use.

RESOLVED – That the updates be noted.

Town Clerk to be heard.

The Sub-Committee received a verbal update of the Town Clerk providing a communications update on the areas of work within homelessness and rough sleeping.

The Sub-Committee discussed their experiences of StreetLink. It was noted that StreetLink would attend the April 2023 meeting to present. A Member requested that they provided data on their referrals in advance of this meeting so that members might consider solutions to the challenges they face.

In response to a query, the Sub-Committee was informed that the posters shown during the presentation were still in the process of being circulated to local businesses and that they would be more visible in due course.

A Member raised the possibility of utilising the anniversary of Dick Whittington’s death to assist with publicising the work of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Service.

The Sub-Committee received a report and a presentation of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services providing Members with details of the current activity, and multi-stream initiatives currently in place and planned to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping in the City of London.

In response to a query, Members were informed that data was primarily held by the City Corporation’s partners and that it would be possible to utilise this data to create dashboards for the Sub-Committee.

In response to another query, the Sub-Committee was informed that quarter 2 of 2022’s reach was to 192 individuals and that this equated to approximately 600 to 800 people per year.

RESOLVED – That the report and presentation be noted.

Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

The Sub-Committee received a verbal update of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services on the homelessness and rough sleeping strategy 2023 to 27. It was noted that the team had received 25 responses so far.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There were the following items of other business:

·         SWEP update

o   The Sub-Committee received a SWEP update. It was noted that SWEP had been activated three times during the winter over the course of 29 days.

o   43 individuals accessed SWEP accommodation and half accessed this at the Grange Hostel.

·         The Chair thanked outgoing members of staff who were leaving the City Corporation.

MOTION – that, under Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act

RESOLVED –that, under Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

Item no                                  Para no

14, 16                                     3

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 30 November 2022.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 30 November 2022 be approved as a correct record.

The Commissioner of the City of London Police to be heard.

There was no representative of the Commissioner of the City of London Police present.

Report of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Executive Director of Community and Children’s Services presenting local data analysis of the recent 2022 Rough Sleeping Snapshot.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no non-public questions.

There was no other business.