Issue - decisions

To update the countywide Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) in line with recommendation from the six Gloucestershire districts. The recommendation is to ensure that SWEP remains a humanitarian, proportionate, and effective response that protects life during genuinely severe weather, whilst safeguarding the capacity and resources of front-line services.
SWEP exists to prevent serious harm or death among people sleeping rough during extreme weather. It is a humanitarian offer, not a statutory duty, and is delivered through a countywide partnership of local authorities, accommodation providers, and commissioned support services.

Cheltenham already provides a strong year round safety net for rough sleepers, including assertive outreach, the Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub, discretionary placements, and personalised support. SWEP is designed to complement, not replace these ongoing services.

The recommendation is: -
• Temperature trigger unchanged (one night at –3°C, or three consecutive nights at 0°C or below)
• Removal of yellow weather alerts as a trigger for SWEP

• Addition of amber weather alerts as a trigger for SWEP
• To continue to exercise discretion to trigger SWEP outside of the above parameters, should the weather present a humanitarian risk (for example, because the weather was notably worse than a yellow weather warning forecast).