Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement introduced a report on proposals that would assist the Council to meet its statutory responsibilities to homeless families through the provision of temporary accommodation, pending the provision of longer-term housing solutions.

The Cabinet Member advised that the Council continued to reduce the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation, with the current level at circa 1,400.  Outside of stock owned and managed by the Council, it also relied on several contracted housing providers to meet its statutory obligations.  The current contract for the additional provision had been extended to 31 May 2023 and the intention was to procure a new, maximum four-year framework contract.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the extension of the existing contracts for the final year of the current temporary accommodation contract from 3 June 2022 to 2 June 2023;

(ii)  Agree that the Council proceeds with the procurement of a new contract for the provision of temporary accommodation for homeless families commencing 3 June 2023, in accordance with the strategy set out in the report; and

(iii)  Authorise the Director of Support and Collections, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement, the Strategic Director, Finance and Investment and the Chief Legal Officer, to conduct the procurement and award and enter into the contract(s) and all other necessary or ancillary agreements with the successful bidder, in accordance with the strategy set out in the report.