Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided details of the Housing First Pilot for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and of the City Council’s responsibilities for the funding allocation and implementation of the pilot. This covered the principles of Housing First, the governance arrangements, financial envelope and assessment criteria. Appendices to the report set out The Partnership Agreement and WMCA Implementation Plan.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) was engaged in a pilot programme of Housing First to deal with the increasing number of people sleeping rough in the region.  The Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government had allocated £9.6m to the West Midlands Combined Authority area to provide support for up to 206 entrenched Rough Sleepers per year to provide support packages to help prevent them going back on the streets.  Coventry’s share of this programme was £1,673,725 for up to 110 people altogether or up to 37 per year for the three years of the pilot (2018-2021). This grant would also provide support for up to a further two years following the end of the 3 year pilot period (2021-2023 based on financial years).

Housing First had seven key principles:

·  People have a right to a home;

·  Flexible support is provided for as long as it is needed;

·  Housing and support are separated;

·  Individuals have choice and control;

·  An active engagement approach is used;

·  The service is based on people’s strengths, goals and aspirations;

·  A harm reduction approach is used.

In order for an individual to access the Housing First programme they needed to meet specific criterial. This criteria required the individual to be: homeless or entrenched rough sleepers – 3 months or longer; going to be homeless within 56 days; have at least one additional need – mental health, substance misuse or offending; at risk of exclusion from mainstream or supported housing due to behaviour.

Although it was a pilot programme, Housing First was intended to have a significant and visible impact upon the number of people sleeping rough on the streets. It was also being viewed by central government as a potential mechanism for savings in the Supported Housing sector.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Authorises that the Council accepts the funding allocation of £1,673,725 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

2)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (People), following consultation with the Director of Finance and Corporate Services, to accept the terms and condition of the grant, to enter into the necessary partnership agreement.

3)  Approves the implementation of the Housing First Pilot to help deliver and sustain tenancies for up to 110 rough sleepers across the City of Coventry as set out in the Implementation Plan (Appendix 2 to the report refers).

4)  Authorises the Deputy Chief Executive (People), following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to undertake the appropriate procurement process to appoint the necessary support services and secure appropriate accommodation options.