Decision details

For Members to note and approve homelessness prevention grant allocations for 2015-16 and delegated authority for grant awards to the Head of strategic Housing.

Matter for Decision

 

The report sought approval for the grant programme to 2015/ 16 pending a value for money review in 2015.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

 

The Executive Councillor for Housing resolved to:

 

     i.        Noted, subject to the budget setting process and formal adoption by Council of the 2015-16 budget, the proposed grant funding allocations as outlined in Officer’s report, along with approval to spend funds, if awarded, by DCLG as outlined in 3.10 of the Officer’s report.

 

    ii.        Agreed the ongoing principle, that DCLG Homelessness Prevention Grant should continue to support initiatives to prevent and alleviate homelessness and, in so doing, support the principles outlined in the Council’s proposed Anti-Poverty Strategy

 

   iii.        Agreed to consider a value for money review report, along with recommendations for future homelessness prevention fund allocations in the 2015 October cycle.

 

  iv.        Approved that authority for new grant approvals should continue to be delegated to the Head of Strategic Housing until 31st March 2016. Thereafter, funding approval would be required from the Executive Councillor for Housing following scrutiny by the Housing Committee, except for grants of less than £5000 which will be delegated to the Head of Strategic Housing to authorise.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

A report from the Housing Advice Service Manager referred to the grant funding programme which the Council’s administers to external partners, which aims to support the Council’s strategic objectives in tackling and preventing homelessness.

 

The Council’s own funding for these projects is augmented by the homelessness prevention grant provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The DCLG grant, despite its title, is not ring-fenced, but the Council renewed its commitment to tackling homelessness by delegating authority to the Head of Strategic Housing to authorise expenditure of these funds until 31/03/16.

 

The Government normally commits homelessness prevention funding in two year tranches but the Council’s allocation, announced in September 2014, was for the 2015-16 financial year only.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

     i.        Asked if the Officer agreed that there would be a greater need for the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

    ii.        Questioned how does the Council monitor the grant money that had been allocated, how the money had been spent and if a successful outcome had been achieved.

   iii.        Asked if there was future provision of funding for Cambridge Central Aid.

 

In response to Committees comments Officers, the Director of Community and Customer Services stated the following:

i.             There could be an increase in DHP and have transferred over £50,000 in the last two years which has been under spent.

ii.             The organisations awarded grants are monitored very closely and reports are received from those organisations that have been allocated the larger grants.

iii.             Confirmed that future allocation for Cambridge Central Aid was under discussion and would be explored.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved unanimously to approve the recommendations.

 

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.