The Head of Housing and Property submitted a report which sought approval of the allocation of the homelessness prevention funds, with the purpose of meeting the objectives of the Homelessness Strategy.

The Executive Board Member, Housing presented the report and confirmed the Council’s commitment to ending rough sleeping within the City by supporting homeless people and those threatened with homelessness into sustainable accommodation, as evidenced by the £1.2M budget provision.

In discussion the Board considered the following points:

·         the particular problems facing people living in a “tent city” and the ways in which the Council could support them, for example, by relocating them to established campsites as an interim measure

·         that the Council’s rough sleeping team do use existing links to  ensure that rough sleepers and people in a “tent city” have access to medical services

·         that there was a further group of people who needed support, the “hidden homeless” who although not sleeping on the street were living in vehicles etc

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    Approve the allocation of the Preventing Homelessness funds to commission homelessness services as outlined in paragraph 14 of the report;

2.    Delegate to the Head of Housing and Property Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, the discretion to administer any necessary changes to these allocations and allocate the balance of the Preventing Homelessness funds.