Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Communities, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 11.

The purpose of the report before members was to request the extension of three housing strategies, including the: Housing Strategy: Enabling communities to thrive in their own home” 2020-2023, Temporary Accommodation Placement and Procurement Policy, and the Community Homelessness Strategy 2017-2022

Access to quality, affordable and sustainable homes was a fundamental priority for this Council. This paper outlines a roadmap to renew these important strategies during 2023/24, to enable the development of a strategic approach which is shaped by the vision of Worthing to be the fairest and greenest coastal town and informed by the needs of local communities and which places prevention and early intervention at its heart.

Members were updated with some key interventions to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Worthing and given the key commitments around finding, enabling and supporting more sustainable accommodation for our residents to provide help when people need it most.

Decision

The Worthing Sub Committee of the Joint Strategic Committee agreed

i) that the following strategies/policies be extended until the end of March 2024:

·       Housing Strategy: Enabling communities to thrive in their own home” 2020-2023 to March 2024;

·       Temporary Accommodation Placement and Procurement Policy;

·       and Community Homelessness Strategy 2017-2022

ii) that the progress and plans underway to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping be noted; and

iii)  that the roadmap for the development of the new strategies/policies during 2023/24, which will be reported back to this Cabinet in January 2024 be noted.

Call-in

The call-in deadline for the decisions will be 5.00pm on 16 March 2023.