Agenda and draft minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings and this information was noted.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

Please be advised that the Mayor has agreed that the call-in procedure shall not apply to this urgent decision. This is because the decision is urgent and any delay in implementation caused by the call-in procedure would seriously prejudice the Council's or the public's interests due to the fact that not taking this decision would result in the loss of night shelter provision for those that need it.  Accordingly, the Mayor has agreed that the decision is both reasonable in all circumstances, and that it should be treated as a matter of urgency. This is in accordance with Part 4, Section H, and Paragraph 18 (a) and (b) of the Council Constitution.

The Cabinet member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning considered the report which sought approval to vary and extend the contract with D Shelton Hotel Limited for the provision of interim Night Shelter accommodation for the period 19 September 2023 – 7 January 2024.  This would ensure that Night Shelter accommodation for vulnerable people would continue to be provided until the opening of the Clarendon Hub night shelter.

The Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning RESOLVED to:

i.              approve to vary and extend the contract under the procedures enlisted in Contract Standing Order (CSO) 16.2 for the interim night shelter accommodation to D Shelton Hotel Limited for 111 days. The accommodation is for 15 units of accommodation and is paid monthly from 19th September 2023 to 7th January 2024.  The cost for this extension will be £89,910 (excluding VAT). There will be no subsequent extension to this arrangement after 7^th January 2024.

ii.            Note the aggregated cost over the life of the contract until 7^th January 2024 will be £552,582 (excluding VAT).

Reasons for decision

Haringey Council was awarded a Rough Sleeper Initiative grant to fund a night shelter.  The plan is to use the Clarendon Hub.  Currently the Clarendon hub houses the Clarendon Recovery College, and this is due to move to a new development which has been delayed.   This has led to the continued use of the D Shelton Hotel Limited  (D Shelton), until the Clarendon Hub night shelter opens.

D Shelton provides suitable accommodation at a competitive price in a location that is easily accessible to residents and support workers. In the past, alternative accommodation options have been explored, proving that due to cost, location and availability these alternatives were not viable. This was confirmed for the following reasons:

·           HRS team had investigated the market and found that alternative accommodation that has previously been used in at least 9 boroughs (including Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Islington, Camden, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet, and Enfield) were unwilling to consider any future bookings. The reason for this is that our residents have complex and intersecting needs, which the hotels feel they are unable to accommodate.

·           Alternative hotels explored which offer suitable and comparative accommodation, range in price from £85 - £150 per night. In comparison D  Shelton have agreed a nightly rate of £54 per night which offers a favourable value for money option.

·           We identified a night shelter in Edmonton which could accommodate between 6 and 8 residents, with the remaining residents accommodated in different locations. This would require the support workers from Thames Reach to spend approximately 8-10 hours per week travelling between locations which would take up valuable support time.

·           Out of borough accommodation would also incur increased travel costs to enable residents to access services in Haringey i.e., Mulberry Junction and our health services in Finsbury Park. Travelling time and associated difficulties may lead to non-engagement and a potentially harmful return to rough sleeping, compounding self-neglect and therefore  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.