To allow Members an opportunity to [a] declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in any items which appear on this agenda; and [b] record any items from which they are precluded from voting as a result of Council Tax/Council rent arrears; [c] the existence and nature of party whipping arrangements in respect of any item to be considered at this meeting. Members with a personal interest should declare that at the start of the item under consideration.  If Members also have a prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest they must withdraw from the meeting during the consideration of the item.

Councillor Priest declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in item 8 and would remain in the meeting.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2023.

The Chair requested an update on a recommendation made at the previous meeting which requested that the Committee’s concerns be included in the Council and Greater Manchester responses, through a letter from the Committee to the Government’s plans to temporarily exempt asylum accommodation from HMO licensing requirements. In response, the committee was advised that this was currently being drafted and discussions on the detail and wording of the letter had taken place. This would be progressed outside of the meeting and a further update provided to the next meeting.

Decision:

That the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 23 May 2023, be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Housing Services.

This report provides an update on the Homelessness Service and the improvement and transformation that is happening across the service in an increasingly challenging social and economic context. 

The committee received a report of the Director of Housing Services which provided an update on the Council’s Homelessness Service and the improvement and transformation happening across the service in an increasingly challenging social and economic context.

Key points and themes within the report included:

• The key metrics for the Homelessness Service;
• The progress made to reduce bed and breakfast placements, especially for families, and wider temporary accommodation placements that have been achieved since last discussed at the meeting in January 2023;
• Changes to the Manchester Allocation of Social Housing Policy;
• Accessing the homelessness service;
• Leasing schemes including for families;
• Support available for housing-related issues and domestic abuse;
• The Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) and the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP) and
• An ongoing review of the Council’s Homelessness Strategy.

Key points and queries that arose from the committee’s discussions included:

• Welcoming the reduction in the number of families placed in bed and breakfasts for temporary accommodation;
• The support available for those facing or experiencing homelessness where English was not their first language;
• Requesting a breakdown by gender and gender identity of those in temporary accommodation;
• Commending the cross-Council approach of the service;
• Where around 400 properties to be used in three leasing schemes would be located in the city;
• How much money had been saved by reducing the use of bed and breakfast placements for temporary accommodation;
• Requesting that a future report included further explanation as to why a high percentage of Black people faced and experienced homelessness;
• Welcoming the work undertaken with Manchester Communications Academy, and querying whether this could be rolled out to other schools within the city;
• Whether any extra resources were needed for the Housing Options team;
• Requesting further information on payments to providers for rent, repair, and furniture allowance under the temporary accommodation leasing scheme;
• The support provided to those placed in temporary accommodation outside of Greater Manchester;
• The support available to residents in areas where temporary accommodation is located; 
• How the voluntary sector was involved in the Council’s outreach approach, and what the Homeless Partnership was;
• Noting that Manchester had a higher percentage of people facing or experiencing homelessness compared to other Greater Manchester authorities, and querying why this was; and
• The proposed timeframe for ending the use of bed and breakfast placements as temporary accommodation.

The Deputy Leader highlighted the ongoing good work to reduce the number of rough sleepers in Manchester and the turnaround in the number of people, particularly families, being temporarily placed in bed and breakfast accommodation. She explained that there were currently two families who had been in bed and breakfast accommodation for over six weeks, compared to 131 when last reported, and one family placed outside of Greater Manchester, compared to 92 previously. She stated that the Council continued to focus on preventing homelessness and reducing the number of people in temporary accommodation.

The Assistant Director of Homelessness stated that bed and breakfast placements could never be suitable for homeless families and explained that the law  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To seek the Committee’s approval to establish an Anti-Social Behaviour Task and Finish Group and to agree the terms of reference, membership and frequency of meetings.

The committee received draft terms of reference for a Task and Finish group on crime and disorder, which the committee indicated they wished to establish.

Members discussed and made suggestions on the objectives, scope, and key lines of enquiry for the Task and Finish Group and put forward nominations for membership.

The final terms of reference would be presented at the first meeting of the Task and Finish Group.

Decision:

That

1. the committee agrees to establish a Task and Finish Group on crime and disorder, and

2. the membership of this Task and Finish Group consists of Councillors Hitchen, Azra Ali, Appleby, Doswell, Good, Ogunbambo, Sheikh and Wills.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit.

The monthly report includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the Committee’s work programme and any items for information.

The committee considered a report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which contained a list of key decisions yet to be taken within the Committee’s remit, responses to previous recommendations and the Committee’s work programme, which the Committee was asked to approve.

Decision:

That the report be noted, and the work programme agreed.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive.

This report provides an update on the review of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise infrastructure contract and subsequent process that has been taken for the contract in preparation for the re-procurement due in 2023.

The committee received a report of the Assistant Chief Executive which provided an update on the review of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) infrastructure contract and subsequent process taken for the contract in preparation for re-procurement in 2023.

Key points and themes within the report included:

• An introduction to the VCSE sector in Manchester and background to the infrastructure contract;
• Key findings of the external, independent review into Manchester’s VCSE support provision;
• Development of the new infrastructure specification, which would identify four main areas of support; and
• The timeline and next steps for the infrastructure review.

Key points and queries that arose from the committee’s discussions included:

• Who the Commissioners of the contract would be, and whether this would include people from the BAME community;
• How new VCSE organisations could access support through Manchester Community Central (Macc)
• How the Council could support smaller VCSE organisations, particularly with evaluation of the projects they deliver;
• How the Council could support organisations with bid-writing and other skills;
• How the Infrastructure Contract will address and target poverty and lack of access to services;
• How BAME VCSE organisations would be supported;
• Noting that smaller VCSE organisations often had large overhead costs, and querying whether funding would be provided in instalments or as an up-front lump sum;
• Whether the new Infrastructure Contract would form part of the additional £120k allocated for the development of VCSE organisations amongst BAME community groups; and
• Suggesting that the Council provide support for smaller VCSE organisations to become sub-contractors to other providers.

The Deputy Leader introduced the item and explained that the VCSE Infrastructure Contract had been in place for over 10 years, which strengthened the local VCSE sector, and she expressed her thanks to the Policy and Programmes Manager (Communities and VCSE) and his team for their work on the Contract.

The Assistant Chief Executive stated that infrastructure support provided partnership and practical support to VCSE organisations around volunteering opportunities, developing connections between organisations, and advocated for the sector. He explained that the current Infrastructure Contract was awarded to Macc and was jointly funded by the Council and NHS, who had committed their involvement for the current financial year. Discussions with the NHS were ongoing regarding future funding.

He explained that, as part of the review into the new infrastructure specification, the Council was trying to respond to the experiences, feedback, and priorities of the VCSE sector and that there had been significant consultation on this. An independent review had also been undertaken, which recognised that the sector wanted a greater focus on capacity-building and practical support for their organisations. There would also be a focus on ensuring that the support offered by the provider was accessible and culturally appropriate for all communities. Feedback from the sector also indicated that there needed to be greater support in specific areas of the city, such as North Manchester and parts of East Manchester where the sector was less developed.

The Assistant Chief Executive also stated that further member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

The officers consider that the following item contains exempt information as provided for in the Local Government Access to Information Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee is recommended to agree the necessary resolutions excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of this item.

Decision:

That the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following item which involved consideration of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons and public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

To receive and consider the current infrastructure specification and draft revised version, associated with the report at item 5.

The committee received a confidential report of the Assistant Chief Executive which provided supplementary information to item 8.

Members discussed the current Infrastructure Specification and considered the proposed inclusions in the revised Specification, including the purpose and outcomes of the Specification and the service and monitoring requirements.

Decision:

That the supplementary information be noted.