Agenda item - Night Shelter Proposal

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Agenda item

Night Shelter Proposal

Report of the Executive Director for Health & Adult Social Care (copy attached).

Decision:

1)           That the committee:

 

a)    Agrees the planned use of part of the Brighton Centre in support of cross party agreement given in February this year to identify and provide a night shelter over the winter months to provide support to rough sleepers in the city;

 

b)   Note the content of the service model at Appendix 1, risk assessment at Appendix 2  and that the implementation of the proposals is subject to complying with any health and safety, planning and other regulatory requirements;

 

c)    Authorise the Executive Directors for Adult Social Care & Health, Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing and Economy, Environment & Cultures to take all steps necessary of incidental to the implementation of the proposals.

 

d)   Note that an evaluation report will be submitted to this committee in summer 2018 on the utilisation of the night shelter and impact of its availability.

Minutes:

74a.1   The Committee considered a report of that requested approval to use part of the Brighton Centre for use during winter as a night shelter to increase the city’s capacity to reduce rough sleeping on the streets.

 

74a.2   Councillor Sykes welcomed the proposal and the praised the work of the cross-party group. Councillor thanked his colleagues Councillors Druitt and Gibson in originally putting forward the proposal. Councillor Sykes asked for clarification on the opening dates of the Night Shelter as differing dates were provided in the report and further clarification on the operational cost to the council.

 

74a.3   The Head of Commissioning clarified that the Shelter would be open until 20 February 2018 and it was estimated that the operational and capital cost would be in the region of £135,000 although officers were continuing to work through that estimate in detail.

 

74a.4   Councillor Wealls thanked all those involved on something that was a worthy endeavour. Councillor Wealls asked if any shower facilities would be provided and whether there would be services available in the Shelter for those people suffering substance misuse and how, operationally, those using the Shelter and suffering substance misuse would be separated from those who may be in a withdrawal phase. Councillor Wealls asked what criteria would be used for those without a local connection and whether there would be applications for housing benefit and other support as part of the project.

 

74a.5   The Head of Commissioning answered that there were no shower facilities in the Brighton Centre but a mobile shower service was being considered, user safety in relation to a variety of issues was being considered in the proposals with room layout and configuration and inviting specialist service providers into the Centre at the forefront of ideas as well as being identified in the risk assessment process. The Executive Director, Finance & Resource stated that any person applying for council services and eligible to claim benefits was helped to claim however, eligibility relating to the using the Brighton Centre needed to be clarified.

 

74a.6   Councillor Wealls asked what the employment arrangements would be for the Shelter and if staff would be contracted from charities and the third sector.

 

74a.7   The Head of Commissioning stated that discussions were underway with partner agencies about how their staff could be utilised as well as consideration of agency staff and oversight by existing hostel managers

 

74a.8   Councillor Peltzer Dunn asked when it might be known what provision would be available from the end of February to the end of March.

 

74a.9   The Head of Commissioning clarified that an extensive search had begun and an update would be returned to committee as soon as a location was known.

 

74a.10 RESOLVED-

 

1)           That the committee:

 

a)    Agrees the planned use of part of the Brighton Centre in support of cross party agreement given in February this year to identify and provide a night shelter over the winter months to provide support to rough sleepers in the city;

 

b)   Note the content of the service model at Appendix 1, risk assessment at Appendix 2  and that the implementation of the proposals is subject to complying with any health and safety, planning and other regulatory requirements;

 

c)    Authorise the Executive Directors for Adult Social Care & Health, Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing and Economy, Environment & Cultures to take all steps necessary of incidental to the implementation of the proposals.

 

d)   Note that an evaluation report will be submitted to this committee in summer 2018 on the utilisation of the night shelter and impact of its availability.

Supporting documents:

 


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