DECISION

1.            To approve a draft of the joint Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2018 -2023. The draft Strategy is attached at Appendix A to the report.

2.            To agree the annual homelessness delivery plan and the annual review of the plan, which will involve taking into account feedback from the Homelessness Partnership Board.

Action by:

ACTING CORPORATE DIRECTOR, PLACE

(Head of Housing Options (R. Hoque)

(Divisional Director, Housing and Regeneration (M. Baigent)

(Statutory and Advocacy Team Manager (S. Chote)

Councillor Sirajul Islam, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing, introduced the report setting out the Council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2018-23. He highlighted that this was a cross-London problem and that close partnership working was really important if this issue was to be tackled effectively.

Members noted a number of areas including:

·         How the Council was managing to move families out of Bed and Breakfast accommodation within the 6 weeks target.

·         The new partnership working with Poplar HARCA to support entrenched rough sleepers.

·         The need to promote the private sector as a source of accommodation.

·         The links to the wider Housing Strategy.

·         The work to support young people leaving care.

The Mayor welcomed the report, thanked the Housing Options service for their hard work in very difficult circumstances, and agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.            To approve a draft of the joint Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2018 -2023. The draft Strategy is attached at Appendix A to the report.

2.            To agree the annual homelessness delivery plan and the annual review of the plan, which will involve taking into account feedback from the Homelessness Partnership Board.