The Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report outlining funding applications to the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing (DLUHC) for the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) 2022-25 and Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) 2021-2024 to relieve and prevent rough sleeping in Reading.  Subject to approval and award from DLUHC the report sought authority to procure and award contracts utilising the grant funds and authorisation to enter into new contract arrangements from 1 October 2022.

The report explained that the Council had applied for DLUHC grant funding of a maximum sum of £1.8m to fund Housing First and tailored off the streets support under RSI 2022-25, for which alocation announcements were due in April 2022. This three-year funding award from RSI 2022-25 would provide the opportunity for longer contracts than had been possible through previous iterations of RSI.  The full application for RSI 2022-25 grant also included funds of circa £1m for extending existing interventions until new contract start dates in October 2022 to ensure smooth implementation and that no vulnerable people were disadvantaged, increasing FTE internal operational and strategic capacity and seasonal demand/surge funding for emergency accommodation.

The report proposed that, subject to grant funds being allocated and awarded to Reading under RSI 2022-25, an open tender exercise be carried out and 30-month contracts of a maximum sum of £1.8m awarded to the successful tenderer(s) for Housing First and tailored off the street support functions with contract start dates of 1 October 2022. 

The report also stated that grant funds had been applied for and awarded to the value of £220k under DLUHC’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) 2021-24 to deliver “Move-on Homes”. Funds would support couples with multiple needs to move on from supported housing into settled accommodation with intensive tenancy sustainment support.  It was proposed that, an open tender exercise be carried out and a 24-month contract awarded, with an overall contract value of £220k, to the successful tenderer for support to couples in “Move-on Homes” with a contract start date of 1 October 2022.

Resolved –

(1)      That the following be noted:

(a)  the application to the DLUHC for Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) 2022-25 funding in the maximum sum of £1.8m to commission (a) Housing First and (b) tailored support from the streets into settled accommodation including navigators, outreach/in-reach & out of hours tenancy sustainment;

(b) the DLUHC award of funding in the sum of £220k from the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) 2021-24 to deliver “Move-on Homes”;

(2)      That, subject to the successful outcome of the application in 1(a) above, the Assistant Director of Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Housing, be authorised to:

(i)            enter into a grant agreement with DLUHC for it to provide Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) 2022-25 funding of a maximum sum of £1.8m; and

(ii)          procure the necessary contracts to implement the RSI 2022-25 funding conditions and enter into contracts with the successful tenderers in respect of the services referred to 1(a) above;

(3)      That the Assistant Director of Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Housing, be authorised to procure the necessary contracts to implement RSAP 2021-24 funding conditions and enter into contracts with the successful tenderers in respect of services to deliver “Move-on Homes” referred to in 1(b) above.