Issue - meetings

Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy - Strategy and Recovery Update

Meeting: 10/03/2021 - Cabinet (Item 104)

104 Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy - Strategy and Recovery Update for 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 158 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy updating Members on the progress made towards the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy in year one including the work on recovery from Covid-19.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that the contents of the report are noted.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and theCabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy that updated Members on the progress made towards the Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy in year one including the work on recovery from Covid-19.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods advised Members that this was a good time to take stock as it was a year since Cabinet adopted the strategy (Cabinet 12th February 2020 minute 101).  She highlighted some of the key attainments made despite the challenges of the pandemic.  These included the city’s pivotal role in securing £3.8 million in government funding (3.11) and offering accommodation for all rough sleepers during the COVID-19 crisis (Appendix 2).  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods thanked all officers, Councillors of all parties and partnership organisations, especially P3.  She however cautioned Members to remember that despite the significant achievements there remained more to do to in the ambition towards preventing homelessness and driving up accommodation standards, including in the private sector.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy informed Members that he had been inspired by the determination, ideas and drive for high standards of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods.  He emphasised that what had been achieved in difficult circumstances, such as exceeding the target for providing affordable homes (agenda item 24 Appendix 1 CGD-16), was down to teamwork among officers, partners and residents as well as Members who had adopted an inclusive non-political approach.  The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources paid tribute to the resolve of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy but especially to that of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods.  She commented that the legacy of the latter would be tremendous ranging from completed projects such as the Potters Place housing scheme to the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to working practice now embedded across the Council.  The Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Growth reiterated the praise for the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods and noted that the Cabinet Member’s work during the pandemic had demonstrated her relentless pursuit to improve the lives of the people of Gloucester.

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report are noted.