Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director for Growth and City Development

Rachael Harding, Homelessness Strategy Manager, presented the report, which sought approval to accept and use revenue funding awarded to Nottingham City Council (in anticipation of a successful grant bid) by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities under the Rough Sleeping Initiative, to allow the delivery of a system of services to prevent and respond to rough sleeping in Nottingham.

Resolved

(1)  to approve:

(a)  upon award, acceptance of a £6,323,241 revenue grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Rough Sleeping Initiative, and approve spend of the funding in accordance with the Programme of Spend as detailed in appendix A;

(b)  the variations / award of contracts as detailed in appendix A;

(c)  extension of the following fixed term posts (as detailed at points 1.a, 4.a.i, 4.a.ii, and 8.a of appendix B):

·  Rough Sleeping Operations Manager;

·  Hospital Discharge Navigator;

·  Mental Health Navigator;

·  2x RSI Social Letting Officers;

(d)  creation of and recruitment to the following fixed term posts (as detailed at points 1.b, 3.c, 4.a.iii, 4.d and 8.b of appendix B);

·  Rough Sleeping Prevention Case Coordinator;

·  Housing Aid Rough Sleeping Move On Officer;

·  Prison Release navigator;

·  Housing Aid Assessment Officer;

·  1x new RSI Social Lettings Officer;

(5)  to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Growth and City Development, in agreement with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to adjust the remit or reinvest any grant underspend on services for rough sleepers as demand requires, within the financial envelope of the grant, and subject to compliance with the Council’s Constitution and Contract Procedure Rules.

Reasons for recommendations

(i)  Approval to accept and utilise the grant funding to deliver the specified programme of measures will enable the continuation of a system of services that have been successful in supporting a reduction in rough sleeping in Nottingham.  The programme for 2022-25 is intended to achieve a further decrease in street homelessness in the city through prioritising prevention and resettlement alongside responding to presenting need.

(ii)  At the monthly snapshot count of rough sleepers in March there were 11 individuals identified (though 2 had accommodation available that they were choosing not to use).  This is a considerable decrease from the 45 individuals identified at the corresponding March street count in 2018, before the RSI initiative had embedded.  However, although there are fewer people street homeless there were also 34 people accommodated in RSI bedspaces and a further 29 people in emergency winter provision.  Meaning that without the interventions, the number of rough sleepers would actually be higher.  This is further demonstrated by intelligence from the Framework Street Outreach Service which calculates an increase of 83% in the number of new individuals identified as rough sleepers in Nottingham in the first quarter of 2022 (185 people) compared to 101 in the first quarter of 2021.

(iii)  Approval for exemption to extend existing contracts through direct award, has been secured in accordance with Article 18.79 of the Contract Procedure Rules, to enable the uninterrupted delivery of services into year one of the three-year funding programme, pending the establishment of a procurement framework by year two.

Other options considered

(i)  Not to accept the RSI funding (upon announcement).  This option is not recommended because the need for services for rough sleepers in Nottingham remains acute and there is no other available funding source to enable and ensure delivery.

(ii)  To accept the RSI funding, but not spend it according to the programme outlined at Appendix A.  This option is not recommended because a condition of the grant is that it is ring-fenced for spend according to the predetermined programme of services.

(iii)  To procure activity for delivery from April 2022 through a competitive tender. This option is not recommended on the basis that the grant requirements include uninterrupted delivery of services which is not possible within the timescales set by DLUHC if a procurement process was followed.  However, from 01 April 2023 onwards contracts for services funded by the RSI will be awarded via a Procurement Framework compliant with Contract Procedure Rules that will be established over the course of 2022-23.