Plans move forward for £635k worth of homelessness funding in Norfolk
Norfolk County Council has been considering how to use the money
After securing £635,000 worth of homelessness funding Norfolk County Council has been discussing how to use the money.
Yesterday, (7th Dec) the Council's Cabinet debated their next steps, the money will be used to support people who are homeless in Norfolk, delivering better outcomes across the county.
Cllr Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:
"This funding will provide crucial support for vulnerable people in Norfolk, and works towards our strategic aim of 'No Homelessness in Norfolk'.
"We have an opportunity to build on the work done during the Covid pandemic to reduce homelessness and the risk of homelessness and the timing of this funding will allow us to do exactly that.
"By reducing homelessness we not only reduce the additional healthcare costs homelessness brings but also help vulnerable people and their families avoid the real and human consequences of rough sleeping. By getting this right we can make life better for anyone at risk of homelessness, and for the communities they live in."
Work has already been carried out on the Business Case for the project, with details of the principals and outcomes already agreed.
The County Council's Cabinet is now being asked to delegate the approval of the final contract to the Executive Director of Adult Social Care and the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial Services.
The £635k has been secured through a Social Impact Bond (SIB) and will cover a four-year project, starting in April 2021, to introduce a new structured, evidence-based approach through better data collection and analysis. The funding has been secured through working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Life Chances Fund (LCF).
The proposals will result in a contract with the Bridges Outcome Partnerships (BOP), who currently operate 11 SIBs focused on homelessness and have experience in supporting people into sustainable and long term housing.