Agenda item

A report of the Strategic Director for Community, Planning and Housing to provide the Commission with more detail on the approach to community recovery.

A report of the Strategic Director for Community, Planning and Housing to provide the Commission with more detail on the approach to community recovery (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director for Community, Planning and Housing, the Head of Leisure and Culture, the Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces, the Head of Strategic ad Private Sector Housing, the Head of Neighbourhood Services and the Head of Landlord Services attended the meeting to assist with the consideration with this item. The following summarises the discussion:

      i.        Members acknowledged the significant and thorough work undertaken by Officers as outlined in the report and thanked them for their efforts.

    ii.        The Covid-19 pandemic had had an impact on vulnerable communities and the Council had worked to alleviate this through pro-active contact with individuals concerned, resulting in 16,000 calls to vulnerable council tenants and lifeline customers.

   iii.        The Council had utilised online platforms in order to support communities during the lock down period, including virtually seated exercise classes. The Council had also established a small-scale IT initiative for members of the community otherwise unable to access this content. Physical activity packs containing guidance, information and equipment had also been distributed to individuals interested in continuing exercise during the pandemic. In addition, the Council was identifying methods of digital inclusion that could be used in sheltered accommodation facilities in the Borough.

   iv.        The Council have provided accommodation for 117 individuals identified as at imminent risk of homelessness in the Borough since the 23rd March 2020.  The Council had been allocated funding in order to support homeless individuals and rough sleepers. The Council led on a collaborative bid for the County Districts and Boroughs and Rutland County Council:

·                Extended emergency accommodation - £210,908 (Charnwood £75,970.72)

·                Supported accommodation - £53,735 (5 bed spaces 2 for CBC and 3 for County /Rutland)

·                Private rented sector/reconnection incentives - £45,300 (Charnwood £18,652.90)

·                Support staff - £20,000 (Charnwood to recruit, County/Rutland resource)

The Council was able to claim £6,400 Cold Weather Fund Allocation, the money allocated to Charnwood would be used:

·                Contribution of £1,750 toward 1 x additional Outreach Worker (for County Districts and Boroughs and Rutland County Council) for the winter period.

·                Remaining put towards the provision 2 x emergency beds for Charnwood

A bid was placed for the Next Steps Accommodation Programme - Charnwood Supported Housing for Rough Sleepers.  On the 16th November 2020 an email was received confirming the £586,000 funding.  The funding would be used to purchase a property and provide 5 bed spaces with ensuites to be used as supported  move-on accommodation and the purchase of 2 x 1 bedroom units to be used for move on accommodation from emergency accommodation for those rough sleepers who were tenancy ready on fixed term tenancies.         

    v.        Initiatives based in Loughborough, such as the work undertaken at John Storer House and the Loughborough Wellbeing Café operated Borough-wide. Members of the community were being sign posted where appropriate in order to ensure individual needs were being met and the Council was working with VCS organisations and GP practices in supporting hard to reach individuals experiencing loneliness and mental health issues.

RESOLVED that the Commission noted the report.

Reason

To ensure the Commission was kept informed of the Council’s Covid-19 recovery efforts.