The Executive Director (Communities and People) has submitted a report to seek approval for the Preventing Homelessness budget allocations for 2024/25 and the grant of a lease of the Floyds Row premises.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.      Approve the allocation of the Preventing Homelessness budget and identified Housing Revenue Account funds to commission homelessness services in 2024/25 as detailed in Table 1 of the report;

2.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to revise the intended programme at Table 1 within the overall budget if required;

3.      Approve a commitment of £798,532 from the Preventing Homelessness budget to fund supported accommodation provision from Matilda House for the period 1 September 2024 until 31 March 2027;

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance to procure and enter into an agreement for supported accommodation provision to be delivered from Matilda House for the period 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2027;

5.      Approve the Council entering into the lease of the Floyds Row premises to St Mungo’s on the basis set out in this report; and

6.      Delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Property in consultation with the Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance to approve amendments to the final terms and enter into the lease of the Floyds Row premises on terms compliant with Section 123 Local Government Act 1972.

The Executive Director (Communities and People) had submitted a report to seek approval for the Preventing Homelessness budget allocations for 2024/25 and the grant of a lease of the Floyds Row premises.

Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing, presented the report which set out the work which had been carried out over the previous year in preventing homelessness.   The report also set out the proposed allocation of £1.65m of preventing homelessness budget for 2024/25, most of which (almost £1m) was spent through the Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance which commissioned a number of important services across the county.  These included the outreach team; supported accommodation such as the hostel O’Hanlon House and dispersed beds across Oxford; and the Somewhere Safe to Stay service.

Councillor Smith outlined the changes (as set out in the report) to the Somewhere Safe to Stay Service which would take place over the coming year, and which would involve the service no longer being delivered by St Mungo’s at Floyds Row.

In addition to the services delivered by the Alliance, the Council also supported other services specifically in Oxford, such as extra beds at Mathilda House run by A2 Dominion; The Porch Day Centre, which provided meals and support for those sleeping rough or who were vulnerably housed; and The Gatehouse which helped existing and former rough sleepers.

In response to the recommendation from Scrutiny that the Council should carry forward any underspend of SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) funds and that these should be specifically earmarked for that purpose, Councillor Smith responded that this was partially accepted but that the intention would be to use any underspend on SWEP to cover any overspends on Preventing Homelessness Grant funded services, or similar services, in-year.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.      Approve the allocation of the Preventing Homelessness budget and identified Housing Revenue Account funds to commission homelessness services in 2024/25 as detailed in Table 1 of the report;

2.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing to revise the intended programme at Table 1 within the overall budget if required;

3.      Approve a commitment of £798,532 from the Preventing Homelessness budget to fund supported accommodation provision from Matilda House for the period 1 September 2024 until 31 March 2027;

4.      Delegate authority to the Executive Director (Communities and People) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance to procure and enter into an agreement for supported accommodation provision to be delivered from Matilda House for the period 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2027;

5.      Approve the Council entering into the lease of the Floyds Row premises to St Mungo’s on the basis set out in this report; and

6.      Delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Property in consultation with the Deputy Leader (Statutory) - Finance and Asset Management; the Head of Financial Services; and the Head of Law and Governance to approve amendments to the final terms and enter into the lease of the Floyds Row premises on terms compliant with Section 123 Local Government Act 1972.