Issue - meetings

Planned Expenditure of the Homelessness Prevention Grant – Ukraine top up

Purpose

To consider the planned expenditure of the Homelessness Prevention Grant – Homes for Ukraine top up 2023/2024

Recommendations

It is recommended that Cabinet:

1)Approve the expenditure detailed within section 3 of this report

2) Approve the delegation of any amendments to these allocations to the Business Manager - Housing in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer subject to compliance with the ring fenced grant conditions

3) Approve the delegation of decisions on any other uplifts or grants that may be given over the financial years 2023-24 to address increased demands on the Housing Service to the Business Manager - Housing in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer subject to compliance with the ring fenced grant conditions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to consider the planned expenditure of the Homelessness Prevention Grant – Homes for Ukraine top up 2023/2024.

The Leader of the Council introduced the item and highlighted how the funds would be used. The Leader explained that the Housing and Homelessness team were experiencing increased pressures following the pandemic, cost of living crisis, and that the displaced people following the war in Ukraine had worsened this.

The Leader stated that given the short term nature of the fund recruiting additional staffing through usual channels is unlikely to be successful. It was therefore proposed that a new post be created for the duration of the Grant period, Resettlement and Complex Needs Manger, which would be shared across the Publica Authorities.

The costs would be broken down as follows;

• Resettlement and Complex Needs Manager (to be shared across Publica with Cotswold District Council having a 25% share - £11,250

• Additional Homes for Ukraine family and prevention support staff- £35,000

• Flexible prevention grant to include, but not limited to rent in advance, deposits, tenancy set up, furniture, white goods or emergency accommodation costs- £109,716

Members stated that it was uplifting to see the local community welcome refugees from Ukraine, and asked if the number of refugees was known. The Chief Executive stated that there were a total of 197 refugees from Ukraine in 72 households.

Members asked whether the manager post would need to be approved at the other Publica councils. The Business Manager for Housing stated that the proposal had already been approved by the other Councils.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Joe Harris and seconded by Councillor Lisa Spivey, who stated that prevention was key to resolving housing issues, and thanked the Housing and Homelessness team for their work.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

1) APPROVE the expenditure detailed within section 3 of this report

2) APPROVE the delegation of any amendments to these allocations to the Business Manager - Housing in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer subject to compliance with the ring fenced grant conditions

3) APPROVE the delegation of decisions on any other uplifts or grants that may be given over the financial years 2023-24 to address increased demands on the Housing Service to the Business Manager - Housing in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer subject to compliance with the ring fenced grant conditions

Record of Voting – For: 8, Against 0, Abstention 0, Absent: 0

For	Against	Abstentions	Absent
Claire Bloomer
Joe Harris
Juliet Layton
Lisa Spivey
Mike Evemy
Mike McKeown
Paul Hodgkinson
Tony Dale

Issue - meetings

Planned Expenditure of the Homelessness Prevention Grant – Ukraine top up

Meeting: 17/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 145)

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