Decision details

To accept Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) of £20,267 for 2023/24.
On 15th February 2024, DLUHC notified Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) that it had allocated £20,267 funding to CBC with the objective of increasing our impact in supporting vulnerable people sleeping rough, or those at risk of sleeping rough in our area, over the winter months. Interventions are not exhaustive and can include the provision of off the street accommodation. We have since clarified with our DLUHC advisor that this can include the provision of emergency accommodation.
This winter, CBC, in partnership with districts across Gloucestershire, is currently piloting a new initiative which will provide alternative emergency accommodation during times of severe weather for rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping (i.e when our Severe Weather Protocol is triggered). This initiative is being coordinated by CCP (Caring for Communities and People) and is county-wide provision, though it is anticipated that Cheltenham will be the main beneficiary, given that CCP’s accommodation and support is located within Cheltenham.
The estimated costs of this initiative are between £15,000 to £20,000 (for CBC); however actual costs will be dependent upon the number of nights of severe weather that might occur up to 31st March 2024 (i.e. up to the end of the period when our Severe Weather Protocol is potentially operational).
In the event that there is any residual funding after taking account of the above initiative, this can be used to go towards other emergency accommodation costs incurred during the winter months, where this supports rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping. It is therefore anticipated that 100% of this funding allocation will be committed for spend by end of March 2024. However, in the even that there is an underspend, this will need to be returned to DLUHC.

The funding will support the Council in helping to meet objectives to reduce rough sleeping in line with the priorities of the Council’s ‘Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-28.

None considered. This is an opportunity to accept an award of funding which is a one-off grant for spend by 31st March 2024.

DLUHC have agreed that this funding can be used to support our emergency accommodation pressures, and the proposal for using the funding for the purposes set out above is supported by our Cabinet Member for Housing and Cheltenham Borough Homes Housing Options Team.