Agenda item

The Cabinet Member received a report which sought approval to extend the service for accommodation and services from London Walthamstow Ltd T/A Ibis Styles Hotel, 543 Lea Bridge Road, E107EB - 63 units of accommodation and subsistence for up to six months, from 1^stOctober 2021 to 31 March 2022.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Licensing and Housing Services

approved the extension of the contract for emergency accommodation for

vulnerable rough sleepers, to London Walthamstow Ltd T/A Ibis Styles Hotel,

for a period of 6 months from October to March 2022, as allowed under

Contract Standing Order 16.02 at a cost of £573, 627.60. The total value over

the life of the contract will therefore be £1,505,848

It was agreed that the proposed funding would be via a mixed contribution from the existing revenue and grant funding within the Housing Related Support service and top up funding.

Reasons for decision

The ‘Everyone In’ directive, which allowed the Council to use its discretion to

provide accommodation to people to whom it did not owe a duty under the

Housing Act 1996, has resulted in a 75% sustained reduction in rough sleeping

in the borough since November 2020. On any given night, around 9 people

rough sleep on the streets of Haringey, the lowest recorded figure and a major

achievement for the borough. Prior to COVID-19 and the ‘Everyone In’

directive, between 60-75% of those rough sleeping in Haringey had no

recourse to public funds.

Figure 1 – bi-monthly street count figures 2016-2021:

Over the course of the pandemic, over 1100 placements have been made for

vulnerable homeless people. The Housing-Related Support service has now

exhausted all committed and available funds to continue the hotel placements

after September 2021. A total of 63 bed spaces are currently available at the

IBIS, and a further 24 at the Green Rooms, which are due to close at the end of

September. As a result of which, there is a significant risk that up to 59

people will return to the streets if both these provisions were to close, 55 of

whom face immigration restrictions, as will be set out below.

Alternative options considered

Conduct a full RFQ process

The need for ongoing temporary accommodation and subsistence for this

cohort is urgent. Without an extension of contract, there will be no

accommodation options for this cohort, who remain at risk of severe illness

were they to contract Covid-19 while street homeless. It was deemed unfeasible

to conduct a lengthy procurement process when the contract will expire in four

weeks’ time. It is also understood that enquiries have been made by

neighbouring boroughs in relation to this hotel and winter accommodation

planning. The hotel is unique in its location and offer, and therefore a

procurement process wouldn’t be a valuable use of time.

Do nothing

The Council could elect not to use its discretionary powers to source

accommodation for vulnerable homeless people with no recourse to public

funds during the winter. However, to do so would be to ignore its commitments

to adult safeguarding, public health and rough sleeping as well as wider

responsibilities to public safety.