Issue details

This report seeks authority, from the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, for the Council to enter into a Service Level Agreement with Two Saints to continue the delivery of Government funded homelessness related support services across the borough.

The funding and commissioning of homelessness related support services was historically provided by Hampshire County Council (HCC) under Supporting People programmes however since 2015, successive funding cuts to these services have resulted in FBC supplementing the HCC grant and co-commissioning services within the borough to meet our statutory duties.

Under contract with HCC, Two Saints have provided homelessness related support services across Hampshire since 01 April 2016.  The HCC commissioned services delivered by Two Saints in Fareham are shared with Gosport Borough Council and due to further reductions in HCC funding, both councils allocate funds to ensure the continuation of homelessness support services.

Following a successful bid to Central Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative, the Council were awarded £1,051,277 to allow the continuation of existing services and the introduction of new services across Fareham and Gosport. For those individuals supported, the importance of having a single provider cannot be underestimated, therefore it is proposed that a Direct Award is made to Two Saints for the provision of services costing £753,632 over the period of the funding (2022 to 2025).