Issue - meetings

     (Copy herewith)

Cabinet:

(a)  Approved the Council’s new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2020-2023; and

(b)  Delegated to the Director of Housing and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing, to make any minor changes to improve the layout and readability of the Strategy and Action Plan prior to publication.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing introduced the report and explained that the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy had been updated for 2020-2023, in line with the current regulations. Most notably, the Homelessness Act 2002 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The report outlined the findings from the review, and Councillor Hibbert commended the stakeholders who undertook the review work and held a series of local workshops during the second half of 2019 and the early part of 2020.

The new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy outlined the following objectives:

·         Improving the health and wellbeing of local people

·         Resilient Communities

·         More homes, better homes

·         Exceptional Services to be proud of

At the Leader’s invitation, Councillors Birch and Stone addressed Cabinet and expressed that they welcomed and were heartened by the updated strategy. They were impressed with the work carried out and congratulated those involved for their efforts in tackling the homelessness issue and making a positive impact on people’s lives.

The Leader thanked the Councillors, and commended officers at Northampton Borough Council for their great efforts and the great work that continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(a)   Approved the Council’s new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2020-2023; and

(b)   Delegated to the Director of Housing and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing, to make any minor changes to improve the layout and readability of the Strategy and Action Plan prior to publication.