Agenda item

12.1

In support of delivering the Government’s strategy to End Rough Sleeping, Sheffield City Council was awarded £4,259,194 by the Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to fund the Rough Sleeper Initiative’s Programme 5 for a 3-year period (April 2022 – March 2025) An additional uplift to the grant of £429,000 was awarded by DLUHC and approved by Sheffield City Council in the sum of £429,000.

The programme was approved in November 2022 by the Finance Sub Committee. This included approval to spend grant allocation specifically on Health Interventions, in line with conditions and agreement with DLUHC.

This report proposes that £77,563 of the grant income funds an NHS Nurse post, specifically for the Rough Sleeper Cohort, in line with the agreed Health Interventions. This funding will ensure Primary Care Sheffield can continue providing the NHS Nurse provision for a further 12 months from July 2024.

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Housing Policy Committee approves the expenditure of £77,563 grant funding (from the Rough Sleeper Initiative grant funding) to Primary Care Sheffield to fund an NHS nurse to deliver outreach healthcare and treatment services to people rough sleeping in Sheffield for a further 12 months until July 2025.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

The preferred option is to agree to the suggested use of the funding available, as agreed by DLUHC, so that the Council can extend the NHS Nurse Street outreach treatment and healthcare services to people Rough Sleeping in Sheffield until July 2025. The current service provider is well placed to deliver the service, as the existing teams are already in place to continue this work.

12.3.2

Rough Sleeping is the most visible form of Homelessness, and this cohort of customers in the city are the most vulnerable. Our Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy lists ‘tackling Rough Sleeping’ as a key priority. The Council is committed to working towards an end to Rough Sleeping and this repurposing proposal allows us to continue this work.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

The options available to spend grant allocation are limited by the extremely short timescales involved in agreeing the purposing of the funds with DLUHC, and working through the legal, approval and potential procurement and contractual processes required. All processes must be complete, and funds paid for the proposed services by 31st March 2024. Failure to comply with the required timeline will result in the loss of funds (to be returned to DLUHC) and the associated services.

12.4.2

The option of returning the unspent grant to DLUHC was considered but was discounted, due to the reputational impact to the Council, loss of funds and loss of provision for the cohort.

12.1

The Commissioning and Partnerships Service Manager presented a report that informed the Committee of a proposal to allocate £77,563 of the grant income funds from the Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), awarded to Sheffield City Council to support the delivery of the Government’s strategy to End Rough Sleeping, to fund an NHS Nurse post, specifically for the Rough Sleeper Cohort, in line with the agreed Health Interventions. The funding would ensure that Primary Care Sheffield could continue providing the NHS Nurse provision for a further 12 months from July 2024.

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Housing Policy Committee approves the expenditure of £77,563 grant funding (from the Rough Sleeper Initiative grant funding) to Primary Care Sheffield to fund an NHS nurse to deliver outreach healthcare and treatment services to people rough sleeping in Sheffield for a further 12 months until July 2025.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

The preferred option is to agree to the suggested use of the funding available, as agreed by DLUHC, so that the Council can extend the NHS Nurse Street outreach treatment and healthcare services to people Rough Sleeping in Sheffield until July 2025. The current service provider is well placed to deliver the service, as the existing teams are already in place to continue this work.

12.3.2

Rough Sleeping is the most visible form of Homelessness, and this cohort of customers in the city are the most vulnerable. Our Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy lists ‘tackling Rough Sleeping’ as a key priority. The Council is committed to working towards an end to Rough Sleeping and this repurposing proposal allows us to continue this work.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

The options available to spend grant allocation are limited by the extremely short timescales involved in agreeing the purposing of the funds with DLUHC, and working through the legal, approval and potential procurement and contractual processes required. All processes must be complete, and funds paid for the proposed services by 31st March 2024. Failure to comply with the required timeline will result in the loss of funds (to be returned to DLUHC) and the associated services.

12.4.2

The option of returning the unspent grant to DLUHC was considered but was discounted, due to the reputational impact to the Council, loss of funds and loss of provision for the cohort.