The Strategic Director of Operations, Simon Fletcher, informed the Panel that the Managing Director & Strategic Director of Adults, Children and Health Services, Alison Alexander, had given her apologies. 

The Strategic Director of Operations informed the Panel that the report sought the approval for the use of two Council owned properties by a voluntary organisation to provide services for homeless residents in Maidenhead on a pilot basis.  It was noted that both properties were currently vacant and were part of the council’s commercial property portfolio.

Members were informed that the first property would be used to provide day services for homeless residents, including access to washing facilities, clean clothes and food with the potential for limited emergency overnight accommodation.  The other property would be used to provide time limited accommodation for a small number of residents as a halfway house before moving into suitable accommodation.  It was explained that the residents in the halfway house would be accessing the standard therapeutic rehabilitation services delivered through the Drug and Alcohol Action Team to enable them to make the transition.

Members were informed that this provision would work in partnership with the other services already working with homeless residents in the Borough and which were supported by the Royal Borough through support contracts.

In the ensuing discussion the following points were noted:

Ø  That one of the buildings had primarily been used for storage whilst the other was currently vacant.

Ø  Members were referred to the timetable for implementation on page 9 of the report.  It was noted that the aim was to have the properties operational, subject to planning approval and completion of conversion works, by the 1 November 2016.

Ø  Jason Veradaguer who was living in the tent in front of the Town Hall questioned why there were eighteen new builds in Woodlands Park that were about to be demolished when they could be used by the homeless in the Royal Borough.

Ø  Jason Veradaguer informed the Panel that he had lived in the Royal Borough all his life and was a homeless builder.  It was noted that Jason simply wanted somewhere to live so he could return to working as a builder. 

Ø  The Strategic Director of Operations agreed to look into whether any aid that could be given by the Council to help resolve the issue between Millgate Homes and Housing Solutions. 

Ø  That assessing the need was part of an ongoing process.

The Crime & Disorder Overview & Scrutiny Panel unanimously agreed to recommend to Cabinet the following:

i)     Approves the use of two Council-owned properties for a day service and emergency housing for homeless residents.

ii)    Delegates authority to the Managing Director/Strategic Director Adult, Children and Health Services and Strategic Director Corporate and Community Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to apply for all necessary consents and permissions to enable the recommendation i) and to finalise the details of the Service Level Agreement.

The Crime & Disorder Overview & Scrutiny Panel asked how many people the two buildings could accommodate, the size of the units (square footage) and whether there was any gagging clause because it was a charity organisation?