Issue - meetings

This item was chaired by Councillor Pounds.

Matter for Decision

The report detailed the annual bid round for grants made to organisations providing homelessness prevention services. It provides an overview of the process, the grant eligibility criteria and the budget. Appendix 1 detailed the applications received with recommendations for 2024-25 awards.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness

i.    Approved the award of homelessness prevention grants to voluntary and community organisations for 2024-25, as set out in Appendix 1 of the officer’s report.

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 (Housing Advice).

The Housing Services Manager (Housing Advice) and the Assistant Director for Housing and Homelessness said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         On the grant application form, applicants needed to state how much funding they were applying for and also any funding they were receiving from other sources.

    ii.         Noted the comment that the modular homes appeared to be expensive to manage and commented that funding two project workers was a more effective way to support this client group compared with the cost to support rough sleepers. 

   iii.         Confirmed that all applications except for two had been awarded the minimum amount of funding requested and this did not prevent all the projects proceeding.

The Committee resolved by 7 votes to 0 with 1 abstention to endorse 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.