This report informs the Committee of the ongoing provisions and new interventions under the Ministry for Housing and Local Government Rough Sleeping Initiative for those sleeping rough in the Reading borough over the cold weather/winter period.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report outlining the ongoing provisions and new interventions under the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Rough Sleeping Initiative for those sleeping rough in the Reading borough over the cold weather/winter period.

The report stated that Reading Borough Council implemented a humanitarian response under best practice guidance from Homeless Link during times of cold and severe weather nationally recognised as Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) provision.  SWEP operated alongside newly commissioned Homelessness Support Services which operated all year round and new Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) interventions which had been commissioned following an award of £316,500 for 2018/19 from the MHCLG and a provisional award of £335,000 for 2019/20 under the same initiative.

The report stated that the Council had recommissioned its Homelessness Support Services from 1 September 2018 with a focus on innovative and emergency responses including: continuation of the rough sleeper outreach service; 10 all-year round emergency fold-out beds for those with or without a local connection for up to 14 days; 8 emergency and assessment bed spaces for up to 28 days; and continued funding of five Housing First placements which provided an unconditional offer of secure tenure and intensive support for complex rough sleepers for whom traditional interventions had been unsuccessful in enabling them to move from the streets.  The report also detailed the services that FAITH Christian Group and St Mungo’s Rough Sleeping Outreach Service provided.

The report stated that additional interventions to support rough sleepers this winter were as follows:

·         A Rough Sleeping Interventions Co-ordinator to facilitate the initiative/interventions and develop a Rough Sleeping Strategy for the borough that would be closely linked to Reading’s Homelessness Strategy;

·         Additional posts within the Rough Sleeper Outreach Service team that would double the team’s capacity and enable more flexible and assertive work patterns and a focus on reconnecting rough sleepers;

·         10 immediately available bed spaces, regardless of local connection, under a Housing Led model; these would be offered to people who were rough sleeping for up to six months (where required) whilst suitable housing options were explored and facilitated.  Intensive support would be offered alongside these placements to enable throughput and consistency of availability;

·         Extension of FAITH Christian Group’s Bed for the Night emergency bed spaces provision;

·         A funding pot dedicated to reconnecting rough sleepers to their area or country of origin including costs of travel for existing and new rough sleepers and being able to offer deposits and rent in advance for up to 10 individuals;

·         Additional move-on worker roles, managed by Launchpad Reading, to work intensively with a small group of individuals who were finding their move-on options particularly limited or difficult to increase throughput across all Homelessness Support Services.

Resolved –     That the winter provisions for those people sleeping rough in the Reading Borough be noted.