Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Licensing and Housing Services considered the report which set out the rationale to approve the receipt of grant funding from the Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) for the provision of services under the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) programme.  The grant was part of the fourth year of funding under the Rough Sleeping Initiative programme.

RESOLVED

i.          That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Licensing and Housing Services approves receipt of grant funding from the Rough Sleeping Initiative Programme, to the sum of £1,626,960 as permitted under CSO 16.02 and 17.3.

ii.         That, pursuant to CSOs 16.02 and 17.3, the Cabinet Member approves the award of grant funding to relevant partner agencies listed in the table at 2.3, which were set out in the successful bid for funding.

iii.        Funding for 21/22 was separated into two tranches by MHCLG as a result of administrative delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Tranche 1 covered Quarter 1 21-22 and was not subject to a bidding process but a continuation of funding from 20/21. Tranche 2 covers the remainder of the financial year 2021/22.

Figure 1: Tranche 1 funding breakdown, Q1 2021/22

Figure 2: Tranche 1 funding breakdown, Q2-4 2021/22

Reasons for Decision

This funding has been awarded to the Council following a successful bid to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government. Funding success was predicated on the ability to mobilise Covid-19 related initiatives to a gradual close during the year. The funding is ringfenced for the purpose of reducing and ending rough sleeping, as set out in the bidding process. If the Council opt not to approve receipt of the grant for the purposes set out in the bid then the funding would not be awarded.

Partner agencies All People All Places, Thames Reach Charity, and Homes for Haringey were an integral part of designing the bid, in partnership with the Council’s Housing-Related Support Service. The bid focused on the strengths of each organisation, a proven track record of working in partnership to reduce rough sleeping in the borough and the ability to mobilise initiatives at the required pace.

A tender process under these circumstances would therefore not be appropriate as funding was awarded on the basis of specific initiatives and delivery partners; grant monies cannot therefore be awarded to other organisations as required under a tender process.

Alternative options considered

The Council could decide not to accept the grant. However, the bid for the grant was developed on a clearly demonstrated need for continuation funding for services to tackle rough sleeping in the borough of Haringey. Therefore, this option has not been considered. It is in the Council’s interest to do so in order to deliver against the commitments set out in the Borough Plan (2019-2023) and Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategies (2018) to tackle rough sleeping.