Decision details

To approve Gloucester City Council becoming lead authority for the service in accordance with Cabinet Procedure Rules set out in Part 4 of the Gloucester City Council constitution.

In December 2016 the Council entered into a 2 year contract (subject to extension) with fellow District Councils in Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire County Council, The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group in order to continue with a Countywide Assertive Outreach Service.

On the back of this service, in March 2017 the Council along with fellow District Council’s and Gloucestershire County Council entered into a partnership agreement for procuring a contract for the provision of the Countywide Rough Sleeping Outreach Project that included recruitment of a County Homeless Coordinator (CHC) post and coordination and oversight of the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

During this time the CHC has been predominantly based in Gloucester City Council although at that time directly employed by Cotswold District Council and other participating council’s funding Cotswold proportionately. The post has recently been recruited to by an existing officer of Gloucester City Council on a secondment basis with the successful candidate once again having their base at Gloucester City Council.

The Gloucestershire Chief Housing Officer Group (CHIG) have unanimously agreed that it would make practical sense for oversight of these services to be transferred from Cotswold District Council to Gloucester City Council via an amended partnership agreement, which has been drafted and reviewed by One Legal. Subject to approval of this decision record, the amended partnership agreement will be signed off by all participating member organisations as provided for by clause 10 of the agreement.

This decision does not require any additional expenditure from the Council, with the only financial change being that Gloucester City Council will be the administrating authority and therefore charged with paying the CHC post salary and paying the contract sum (£312,000 over 2 years to be paid in annual instalments) and recovering these monies from the participating members as outlined within this report and as specified in the original partnership agreement.

None.