Decision details

To approve the award of homelessness prevention grants (HPGs) to agencies, and to approve an alternative source of funding for these grants, repurposing the former grants budget to support the new ‘streets to home’ service and enable the secure funding of existing housing advice service staff.

Matter for Decision

This report outlined grant funding to organisations providing homelessness prevention services. It provided an overview of the process, eligibility criteria and budget in Section 3 of the Officer’s report and Appendix 1 detailed the applications received with recommendations for 2022-23 awards.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

i.      Approved that from 2022-23 onwards, homelessness prevention grants are funded from the annual homelessness prevention grant award the Council receives from central government.

ii.    Approved the award of homelessness prevention grants to voluntary and community organisations for 2022-23, as set out in Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report.

iii.   Approved that from 2022-23 onwards the budget formerly used to fund homelessness prevention grants will instead be used to fund the new Streets-to-Home service and the additional staff roles that were created within the housing advice service in 2018 in response to the additional statutory duties enshrined in the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Housing Services Manager.

The Committee asked how the funding referred to in paragraph 3.9 of the officer’s report would be used.

The Housing Services Manager said the Central Government Homelessness Prevention Grant Funding which would not be spent on the City Council’s Local Grants to Agencies would be spent on a range of services to prevent homelessness. 

The Committee resolved:

-       unanimously to endorse recommendation 2.1.

-       unanimously to endorse recommendation 2.2 (excluding grants 3,4,13,14,15 in Appendix 1).

-       by 8 votes to 0 to endorse recommendation 2.2 in relation to grants 3 and 4

-       by 8 votes to 0 to endorse recommendation 2.2 in relation to grants 13, 14, 15.

-       unanimously to endorse recommendation 2.3.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.