Decision details

We agree the following:-

To authorise the Director for Housing & Communities to enter into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the provision of Emergency Accomodation at Nyewood Lane, Bognor Regis, for a term of 5 years with Dim West LTD as set out in paragraph 4.6.  

And note that the SLA will have an option for the Council to extend the agreement for a further 5 year period, subject to Member authority and available budgets.

WBC Cabinet Member for Housing & Citizen Services:

In Worthing we have 200 single person households (63%) residing in emergency accommodation. Many of these placements are in expensive nightly booked bed and breakfast style places that tend to have no cooking facilities. Our strategy is to reduce our expenditure on expensive spot booked options by seeking out leased alternatives that relieve pressures from our budgets but also improve the living standards of those housed there. We are considering all opportunities in and around Worthing as we want to keep our citizens as close by as possible so that they have access to our services and their personal support networks, including family members and sometimes their children.)

ADC Cabinet Member for Adur Homes & Customer Services:

In Adur we have 65 single persons and 32 Families in temporary accommodation. The reasons stated above apply to both Adur and Worthing. In Adur we have built and are building our own temporary accommodation but we still rely heavily on placing those in need outside the area. We must do all we can to help those in need to stay in Adur, close to their friends and, for the Children, close to their schools. These Joint ventures help both Adur and Worthing but more importantly our residents.

WBC Cabinet Member for Housing & Citizen Services:

In Worthing our strategy will be to build, acquire and convert our own EATA provision but this takes time and relies on external funding as well as borrowing on a spend to save basis. Our housing need is rising and we do not have time to waste so we need to look at leased accommodation options alongside plans for our own accommodation. Continuing our reliance on expensive spot booked accommodation is not financially viable and sometimes means we have to move people at very little notice, at great emotional expense to them, as we have no control over availability of rooms. Our strategy is to reduce our use of spot booked to an absolute minimum and only to give flexible options in a short term emergency scenario.

ADC Cabinet Member for Adur Homes & Customer Services:

The Alternative would be to do nothing and that is not acceptable. We must do all we can in Adur to make sure that those in need are given all the help that we can give.