Decision details

To approve the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for an eight-week period of public consultation.

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires all housing authorities to review homelessness in their area and produce a new homelessness strategy, based on the review findings, every five years.  Following a comprehensive review of homelessness in Fareham, a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy is now proposed.

The draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2025 can be found at Appendix A and a draft Delivery Plan can be found at Appendix B.

The review of Homelessness in Fareham, undertaken by Neil Morland & Co Housing Consultants, considered all the activities being carried out to tackle homelessness in the Borough and assessed whether the activities are reflective of good practice, deliver good outcomes for people experiencing homelessness, and are of value for money.

The Strategy has been drafted using the results of the research, data analysis and benchmarking.  It has also been developed through consultation with key partners, staff, service users and elected Members.  Full details can be found in The Review of Homelessness in Fareham at Appendix C.

The Strategy builds on the successes of the previous strategy and has been developed in the context of the new provisions and duties of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 which came into force in April 2018 and the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy 2018-27.

This draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy is recommended for publication for an eight-week period of public consultation.  This will provide the local community and other interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the content of the Strategy and accompanying Delivery Plan.  Following this period, and once any necessary amendments are incorporated, it is intended that the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy will be presented to the Executive for adoption.

An equality Impact Assessment of the Strategy will be undertaken before it is recommended for adoption.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, as provided in Appendix A to the report, and accompanying Delivery Plan, as provided in Appendix B to the report, are published for an eight-week period of public consultation; and

(b)  the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, following consultation with the Executive Member for Housing is authorised to make any necessary minor amendments to the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and accompanying Delivery Plan, prior to publication, provided these do not change the overall direction or emphasis.