Agenda and draft minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no Members present pursuant to Standing Order 34.

The notes of the previous meeting were agreed.

D Hall provided an overview of the measures taken in relation to Everybody’s In Initiative in response to Covid 19.

Since the last time that the Task Group had met, there had been unprecedented times because of the pandemic, and the response to it brought about a change in the way in which homelessness and particularly rough sleeping was dealt with in our community.

He paid tribute to the response to the pandemic from the Housing Team and other parts of the Council to Everybody’s In which was brought in by Government, which had been extraordinary and their efforts should not be unrecognised.  The effort to bring everyone in from the Night Shelter and other people who were known to the sofa surfing or rough sleeping to a community centre which overnight was transformed into temporary accommodation, a vacant building which was turned into accommodation, to the security, cleansing services which were procured overnight, bedding, food and access to support was completely unprecedented and saw people working overnight and weekends, which was a huge effort.

The Council had worked closely with partners including the Purfleet Trust and their response was also extraordinary and humbling with problems being resolved. The effort resulted in everyone, including the hardest people to help, with a housing solution and no-one left on the street.  Lots of buildings were used and converted into accommodation and the Council procured some welfare cabins which had been remodelled to allow people to live in them.  Because of that huge effort, a positive outcome was achieved for some of those people.  The feedback had been that for a lot of people who had been difficult to reach and engage with, there had been some success stories through a degree of stability and had taken the first steps to change their life around and to get some more secure accommodation.

The Chair added that the team should be very proud of all their efforts.

Nikki Patton added that Council had been working closely with the Night Shelter and had taken it over that week due to Covid-19 and the number of volunteers who were shielding. 

The Council also received the letter at the end of March from Dame Louise Casey that all dormitory style accommodation needed to be closed.  The Night Shelter was dormitory style accommodation.

Staff worked closely with the Purfleet Trust and the Night Shelter over that weekend, to find suitable accommodation.  It resulted in a mix of accommodation with some hotels providing a limited amount of rooms.  The Council used one of its community centres and turned the meeting rooms into self-contained accommodation.  In addition, one of the Council’s hostels, which had been closed for refurbishment, was also used for accommodation and staff had worked closely with Broadland Housing to do that.  All 23 people from the night shelter was moved into the accommodation. Througout that period 3 meals a day were provided and during that time close working was held with Purfleet Trust who provided that support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Councillor Moriarty asked how relevant the guidance was for the Council in the future – all the case studies referred to cities.

D Hall explained that the guidance was trying to address a lot for areas with different needs and characteristics.  He added that it was important to understand that there was a lot that could be done for the next step strategy. 

The guidance would help to inform what things could do in the short to medium term to stop people returning to the streets.  It highlighted some funding opportunities, the most important one The Rough Sleeper Initiative where the Government had identified the need for 6,000 new supported housing bed spaces across the country.  It had made £300 million pounds available for both revenue and capital schemes – to be spent over the next two years but much of which needed to be identified in this financial year.  The guidance talked amount empty buildings, the use of modular accommodation and other funding sources.  It was really important that some of these key opportunities were not missed including the High Street Heritage Action Zone to repurpose shops and accommodation above shops.

He added that in some ways this was an opportunity as the next steps strategy and Government funding opportunities meant that some of work identified in the Homelessness Strategy was intensified and could be delivered quicker.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

RESOLVED:  That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Act.

To receive an update on temporary accommodation at Reid Way, King’s Lynn.

https://www.modpodsinternational.com/modpods/type-b/

https://www.modpodsinternational.com/modpods/type-a-mini-modpod/

The Task Group received an update on the temporary accommodation at Reid Way in King’s Lynn.  Examples of similar types of accommodation were shown to the Task Group.

Other sites where temporary accommodation could be sited were put forward.

RESOLVED:  That the updated be noted.

D Hall provided an update on the medium / longer plans with Partners to the Task Group.

RESOLVED:  That the update be noted.

Any The Task Group were provided with details of discussions held with Norfolk County Council regarding a Housing Related Funding support model.

RESOLVED:  That the update be noted.

In response to a question regarding what the plans would be in there was a second spike of Covid 19, it was explained that this was a strand of work that was ongoing and it was hoped that the Council could offer a range of accommodation options, but it was hoped to keep as many people in accommodation as possible.

To be advised.