Agenda and minutes

The Chair introduced the new Clerk of this Sub Committee, Chloe Ainsworth.

Apologies were received from James Bromiley-Davis and Mark Wheatley.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 9^th May 2022.

Members agreed that a comma should be removed from paragraph 11b.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2022 be approved.

Members are asked to note the Committee’s Outstanding Actions List

Members received the Sub Committee’s outstanding actions list and the following updates were noted:

• A number of actions were marked as complete.
  
  
• Officers would be providing an update on the Private Rent Sector Framework in the scheduled training session following the conclusion of the meeting.
  
  
• The Town Clerk would circulate a survey to Members to identify future meeting dates and start times.
  
  
• A verbal update on the Capital Projects. Members were informed that a visit to the Grange Road Hostel site was being arranged for Members in September.
  
  
• The Homelessness Fatality Review would be available to Members at the next meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

Members received an update of the Commissioner of the City of London Police (CLP) and the following points were made:

a)    CLP was not able to progress the meeting to review Operation Luscombe due to staffing issues. The meeting will now take place before the end of July.

b)    The Metropolitan Police will participate in the review, which will begin in the Southwark Borough. They have also encouraged boroughs Bethnal Green and Hackney to reconsider using Operation Luscombe, which will ensure a consistent approach in the boroughs surrounding the London metropolitan area.

c)     CLP met with the British Transport Police to discuss their commitment to using Luscombe.

d)    CLP have secured two days for Officers to issue Luscombe tickets to people found begging within the City.

RESOLVED - That the update be noted.

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

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services concerning national and localised data released and analysed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in relation to the 2021 Rough Sleeping Snapshot.

It was reported that the City of London has seen a third annual reduction in Rough Sleeping Snapshot numbers.

A Member noted that the report’s findings of a reduction in rough sleeping contradicts the general perception of the public. It was noted that there is a lack of understanding about the difference between homelessness, rough sleeping and begging. The Sub Committee discussed the importance of communications in sharing the work that is being carried out to reduce homelessness. Members noted that the City of London Corporation website would be updated to provide information about this work.

A Member noted that the rough sleeping snapshot for England showed that the figures for rough sleeping in the North East were significantly lower than other regions and questioned if there was a practice that the City of London could emulate. Officers informed the Sub Committee that they would explore this.

In response to a question, Members were informed of the methods Officers can use to identify those who may fall into homelessness.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, which was an accompanying report to the Thames Reach SWEP Review 2021 – 22.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.

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

11-14                                 3

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

There was no non-public update from the Police.

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

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services providing details on the various City of London (CoL) interventions funded through the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) grant 2022 – 2025.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

There were no non-public questions.

There was no other business.