Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Committee received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services informing Members that the City of London in partnership with St Mungo Community Housing Association opened The Lodge at St Ursula’s (The Lodge) in March 2010.

The Lodge, now in its third year, had been very successful and had a major impact on the lives of long term rough sleepers who lived on the streets of London for many years. Guests at The Lodge include 15 individuals from the City streets. It was recognised nationally as a project that worked well with the particular client group

– long term rough sleepers who were over 40 years of age. The Lodge had identified a core group of guests, who having settled from the street, were unlikely to be able to maintain independent accommodation. Central government was approached to consider funding a permanent move on accommodation for this cohort. The funding was confirmed in August 2012 with an expectation that

Lodge II would be completed by April 2015.

A building had been identified in the Square Mile and was ideally located. The building was in Middle Street and currently occupied by Providence Row Housing Association (PRHA).

Officers invited Members to visit the location and said that they would be happy to arrange visits to Lodge II. In response to a query from Members, Officers said they anticipated that once planning had been approved for the development at Grange Road, building would commence in winter 2013. Residents from Middle Street would move in July 2014 to Grange Road. Work would then commence on Middle Street with an expected completion date April 2015.

RESOLVED: That Members approved the decision to allow officers to develop the proposal and to put this forward to the City Corporate Projects Board.