Issue - meetings

Cabinet approves the Isle of Wight Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Action Plan 2022- 2024 as set out at Appendix 1.

The action plan was to accompany the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and showed the planned actions from 2022-2024. Deliverables with timescales for the actions were set out. £776,000 had been allocated by the government for prevention, one of the three core pillars of the strategy. In response to a query on progress with affordable housing, it was confirmed that the council was duty bound to build on the two Venture Quays sites in East Cowes, which were being progressed. It was suggested that an extra care facility would free up other housing for local people.

The council had agreed to work closely with Town and Parish Councils, and they had been asked for suggestions for proposed uses for empty properties.

The process had commenced to buy homes for the homeless to use, to give them somewhere to live as soon as possible.

It was suggested that the plan could contain more detailed, to enable other councillors to see how and when action is being taken, and the Cabinet Member with responsibility for homelessness was asked if an addendum to the plan with more detail could be provided. The Cabinet Member agreed to discuss the matter further with lead officers and provide a more detailed draft. Cllr Brodie asked whether a professional could be brought in and £40 million borrowed to improve social housing. The Cabinet Member agreed that a ‘go to’ person was needed and that this was being encouraged.

RESOLVED:

Cabinet approves the Isle of Wight Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy Action Plan 2022- 2024 as set out at Appendix 1.