Decision details

To agree future Homelessness Services to be provided in house and voluntary sector.

Strategy and Policy

(i)             Approve the Homelessness Strategy subject to detailed consideration in a further report on the level of hostel provision required for single people, young people, and floating support.

(ii)            Continue to pilot the Eligibility Criteria for access to council temporary accommodation.

(iii)           Cease the homeless duty by offering a private rented sector let where appropriate and the impact of this decision to be reviewed after one year.

(iv)          Set up a Single Access and Referral point for access to all council funded temporary accommodation and to create floating support as part of the in-house Housing Options and Support Service.

Delivery Plan:

(v)           Deliver homelessness services via in-house provision or through external organisations chosen in accordance with the Council’s statutory and internal procurement obligations.

Delivery Plan: Services for Homeless Families

(vi)        Retain Border House as a temporary hostel for homeless families to provide support to families in 10 units of temporary accommodation for one year with an option to extend after review.

(vii)       Retain the Family Support Service, the service to be provided by STAR to families at risk of homelessness and to those in Border House, and to retain the Corner Club to continue to provide services to families in Border House and the local community.

(viii)   Commission services to provide support to teenage parents in 10 units of accommodation.

Delivery Plan: Specialist Provision

(ix)        Fund sufficient beds for homeless ex-offenders leaving prison on licence and others identified by the Probation Service as needing specialist support, to meet city needs.

(x)        Retain the current in–house rough sleepers outreach team.

Delivery Plan: Employment Support

(xi)        Grant aid Leicestershire Cares to continue to provide an employment, training and education advisor for homeless people using council funded temporary accommodation or support services, the level of grant aid will be discussed with them.

Delivery Plan: Day Centres

(xii)       Grant aid the Anchor Centre to continue to provide a Wet Day Centre, based in current premises.

(xiii)      Grant aid the Centre Project to continue to provide a day centre, based in the current premises.

(xiv)     Grant aid the YMCA to provide a day centre within the Dawn Centre, to provide meaningful activities such as assisting people to access work and training, subject to further discussions with YMCA.

Please note that appendix E of the report is marked ‘Not for Publication’ because it contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended; i.e. “information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information)”.

The Homelessness review found that a hostel environment is not always conducive to achieving positive changes for people.   Homelessness Services need to be transformed to move away from the current climate of crisis and rescue to providing more prevention and support.  If people do become homeless, services will enable them to access and sustain independent accommodation as quickly as possible

(i)            Option 1 - To do nothing or negotiate current contracts – this is not an option as current contracts have been in place since 2006 and the Council has a duty to ensure value for money and allow opportunity to other potential suppliers.  The Council should procure services using in competitive tendering in line with Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and internal contract procedure rules.

(ii)          Option 2 – this is the option being taken, to have a strategy in place to prevent homelessness as required by the Homelessness Act 2002 and to tender for new services in line with some of the key recommendations of the Review to more develop outcome based services. To transform services to provide more prevention and support and enable people to access and to retain independent settled accommodation.