Purpose

Acceptance of the Rough Sleeping Programme Grant Determination 2026/27 No 31/8556.

Decision

For the reasons set out in this report, the Corporate Director has decided to:

1)    Accept the £1,607,961 grant determination issued under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 for the Rough Sleeping Programme, ring-fenced for expenditure in 2026/27, subject to the conditions that it must not be used to fund general needs temporary accommodation, subsidy loss, bad debt or accommodation for anyone outside the programme’s intended cohort, and that it must fund additional capacity rather than existing delivery.

2)    Approve the delivery and spend plan set out at Appendix A, including the use of appropriate contract variations and delegated approvals to implement the funded activity.

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing – decline the grant allocation: The Council could decline the grant allocation and continue to deliver rough sleeping services through existing resources. This option is not recommended because it would forgo £1,607,961 of additional funding, limit the Council’s capacity to provide timely prevention, outreach, accommodation and support, and reduce the opportunity to build on the progress already achieved.

Option A – defer approval: The Council could defer approval of the delivery and spend plan while further work is undertaken. This would delay mobilisation, reduce the time available to support people off the streets before Christmas 2026 and increase the risk that the allocation is underused or cannot be spent within the grant period. This option is therefore not recommended.

Option B – accept the funding and approve the delivery approach: This is the recommended option because it will enable timely mobilisation of additional support and accommodation capacity, while ensuring that delivery remains compliant with the grant conditions and is subject to appropriate governance, financial monitoring and performance oversight.