Agenda and decisions

To take any questions or statements from members of the Public.

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 09 July 2024 (attached) and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

EEBC continues to have a significant financial outlay on temporary accommodation costs to meet its homelessness obligations under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The level of expenditure exceeded the budget set for 2023/24 and it will be a significant challenge to meet 2024/25 budget targets. This report sets out the anticipated costs for 2024/25 and outlines the actions taken to minimise homelessness expenditure.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the use of Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and reserves to cover the anticipated expenditure, for 2024/25, to enable the Council to meet its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

(2)       Agree that a further update regarding nightly paid accommodation (NPA) expenditure be provided at the Community & Wellbeing Committee in March 2025.

To set out proposals on how the Council will engage with residents to receive feedback on services and better understand residents’ needs.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Endorse the approach taken to consultation.

This report informs the Committee of the Council’s revenue budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee in July. The report seeks guidance on the preparation of the Committee’s service estimates for 2025/26.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the implications of the budget targets presented to Strategy & Resources Committee on 23 July 2024.

(2)       Support the changes to services and savings previously identified in Table 1 of the report and that those are included within the budget presented to this Committee in January 2025.

(3)       Consider how additional income or savings can be generated to address the projected Council wide funding gap of £573,000 in 2025/26, rising to £720,000 per annum by 2028/29.

(4)       Note that owing to the Council’s projected budget deficit, any additional new revenue growth items (i.e. service enhancements resulting in increased net expenditure) supported by Policy Committees will need to be fully funded from existing budgets.

To report to the committee the decisions taken by the Chief Executive and Directors on the grounds of urgency, in compliance with the requirements of the Constitution

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the urgent decision taken and the reasons for that decision, since the last meeting of the committee.

Strategy and Resources Committee on 17^th September 2024 resolved to agree two reports, namely the Temporary Accommodation agreement with Town and Country Housing Association and the lease for 33-39 High Street for use as temporary accommodation and also resolved that these same reports to be brought to this committee to note.

Following consideration, it was resolved:

(1)       Note the two reports attached as Appendix 1 and Exempt Appendix 2 to the report.

Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Committee may pass a resolution to exclude the public from the Meeting for Part Two of the Agenda on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report has not been published as it deals with information in relation to the financial or business affairs of the Council or a third party.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Approve the award of a contract for the conduct of reviews of allocation and homelessness decisions to Housing Reviews Limited for a period of 1 year with an option to extend for a further period of 1 year and;

(2)       Nominate and authorise to Housing Reviews Limited the Council’s statutory functions pursuant to the provisions of s166A(9) and s202 of the Housing Act 1996 to perform reviews of decisions made either regarding the suitability of accommodation offered s166A(9) or as the result of a decision upon a request for assistance as homeless s202.