Agenda item

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

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services providing an update on the Transition Programme and the following points were made:

·         The Transition Programme represented an evolution of the COVID-19 Recovery Plan and included the anticipated decant of the Carter Lane hostel and the progress of delivering two capital projects comprising the City Assessment Service and the High Support Hostel.  The Transition Programme also included winter planning for individuals who were rough sleeping, including the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) arrangements which came into effect when temperatures were forecast to fall below 0°C.  The SWEP had been activated between 26-29 November 2021 with two individuals being accommodated at the Carter Lane hostel, and it was anticipated that further activations would be required as the Winter progressed.

·         In considering the update, a Committee Member noted the 15-week break scheduled between the closure of the Carter Lane hostel and the opening of the City Assessment Service and queried whether contingency arrangements were place should this break be longer than anticipated.  The Head of Homelessness, Prevention and Rough Sleeping confirmed that contingency planning was underway to ensure that individuals continued to have access to appropriate accommodation throughout this period.  This included a funding application to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Winter Pressures Fund for a three-month contract extension for the Mobile Intervention Support Team (MIST), hotel block booking, a funded Anchor House bed and a funded Crimscott No Recourse to Public Funds assessment bed.  The Chairman queried the progress made in supporting homeless individuals who were European Union residents to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom.  The Rough Sleeping Coordinator advised that eight applications had been made to date, with more individuals awaiting legal advice on their application.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.