Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Housing presented the regular report on the status and recent activity in SKDC’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeper services.  Homelessness was a year round concern which doubled when the cold weather arrived.  The report updated the Committee in respect of the homelessness and rough sleeper services and highlighted the continued demand across both the statutory homelessness function which was delivered by the Council’s Housing Options Team and the rough sleeper service which was delivered through the Change4Lincs Partnership.

An increase in the homelessness prevention grant funding was received for 2025/26 and this was used in conjunction with the Rough Sleeper Prevention and Recovery Grant to meet local needs.   Funding beyond March 2026 was currently unclear.

Rough sleeping remained a focus and 10 individuals were identified in the annual October 2025 snapshot which took place on 30 October 2025 and was required by MHCLG.

Homelessness figures remained steady and the use of nightly paid temporary accommodation had reduced due to the improved provision of alternative accommodation such as an HMO secured in Grantham.  The winter night shelter had opened on 10 November 2025 and eight individuals had stayed on various nights since the opening.

The Council was also managing pressures linked to national resettlement programmes with the Home Office with 45 properties currently being managed by a Government contractor across South Kesteven.

The Chairman asked whether the next round of homelessness funding would be expected before Christmas when the next round of local government funding was usually known.

The Chief Executive indicated that the provisional settlement figure should be known the week commencing 15 December 2025.  The figures would be worked on over Christmas and should include a number of grants which had been baselined into the multi-year settlement.  A report from the Leader would go to the Joint Budget OSC on 13 January 2026.

The Chairman asked for confirmation that the funding that had been received last year had increased by 27% would this be repeated this year.  The Chief Executive responded that no notification of any uplift had been received and it was expected that the revenues grant from the Government would be flatlined which would mean a negative budget.

Questions were then asked on the content of the report which included whether the figures shown in Table 2, paragraph 3.23 were they just South Kesteven figures, the Head of Housing replied that yes, the figures were only South Kesteven figures.  The Rough Sleeper provision was carried out by the Change4Lincs Partnership across the four districts but was not a statutory function, it was a discretionary service that was provided for using the Rough Sleeper Funding received.  The figures following on in the report referred to the homelessness function which was statutory under the Council’s homelessness duty and again were for South Kesteven only.

Thanks were given to the work undertaken in respect of the Grantham Ark Project working in conjunction with St Wulfram’s Church.  A comment was also made in respect of the homelessness figures and that fact that some people would not engage with the Council and that perhaps the public’s perception was that “nothing is being done”.  The Head of Housing stated that often when the public see a visible form or homelessness its thought that the Council was doing “nothing”.  Homelessness was a hugely complex issue and placing someone in accommodation was not always the answer.  Often those who were homeless had very complex needs that needed to be met and a sporadic support network put in place around the person. There were also people who had a tenancy but choose to sleep rough. The Housing Team tried to engage as much as possible with homeless and rough sleepers and other partners to support them.  In some case people simply do not want to engage with the Council.

In respect of a means of contact the Change4Lincs Team supplied simple older model mobile phones which tended to have a longer battery life to enable contact for those willing to engage.

Further questions were asked about whether any profiling was carried out but the Head of Housing stated that each case was individual and each person had complex needs.

A discussion then followed in respect of properties within the district used for resettlement purposes by the Government with particular organisations being referred to.  The Chief Executive reminded Members of the recent briefing that Members had received in respect of Houses of Multiple Occupation within the district and information which could be viewed as sensitive.   Reference was made again to properties within the district and the Member was advised to write to the Home Office to which the Member replied he had but the Home Office had indicated that it was too expensive to relate the information requested.  Further discussion followed and it was stated that references to particular organisations should not be included within reports going forward. 

The Head of Housing stated that a complex formula was used in respect of resettlement by the Government and although the Council did not have any say in where properties were situated, they could comment in respect of infrastructure pressures, health pressures, lack of transport links and education pressures and highlight the rurality of the area.

A further question was asked about those who were homeless or rough sleeping and who had pets and it was stated that each case was looked at individually and the Council was mindful of those who had pets and tried to make a balanced judgement.

Members noted the report and the Chairman thanked Officers for their hard work in respect of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper function.