Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Strategy to 2030, which replaced the 2019-2024 Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy approved by Cabinet in 2019. 

The Strategy set out Medway’s strategic approach for homelessness services and detailed how the Council would enable the delivery of these services, with the report setting out the background to the Strategy, the consultation process, and the refinement of the strategy based on feedback received to date. Particular note was made of the innovative legislative theatre co-production approach used in creating elements of the strategy.

The report stated that the Strategy had been designed around five key priorities which were: using information to prevent homelessness; One Medway Approach; Solution focused support; the right accommodation and; Informing everyone about homelessness and housing rights.

The Strategy had previously been considered by the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 October 2024, details of which were set out in section 9 of the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the Strategy, details of which were set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

Reasons:

The Homelessness Act 2002 requires all local housing authorities to carry out a review of homelessness and provide and publish a strategy based on its findings. The Strategy must be renewed at least every 5 years. As the previous Strategy was agreed in 2019, agreement of a new Strategy is now required.