Purpose

To seek approval for Gedling Borough Council to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the six Nottinghamshire districts and borough councils. The MoU will formalise pooled funding, governance and joint delivery partnership arrangements for the development of a local Homelessness Strategy Action Plan, aligned to the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness due for submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by 1st December 2026, and the preparation and implementation of a countywide Local Supported Housing Strategy by 31 March 2027, as required under the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.

Decision

It is recommended that the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Place approves Gedling Borough Council entering into the Memorandum of Understanding with the six other Nottinghamshire district and borough councils. Approval is recommended on the basis that the arrangement will:
•formalise pooled funding, governance and joint delivery arrangements across the seven Nottinghamshire district and borough councils;
•support the development and initial implementation of the countywide Local Supported Housing Strategy and associated Homelessness Strategy Action Plan;
•make effective use of government funding by strengthening shared programme capacity and reducing duplication;
•support coordinated delivery across Nottinghamshire, reflecting the cross-boundary nature of supported housing need and homelessness pressures; and
•reduce the risk of delay, inconsistency or non-compliance when compared with separate local arrangements.

Reasons for the decision

That the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Place approve Gedling Borough Council entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the six Nottinghamshire districts and borough councils to formalise pooled funding, governance and joint delivery partnership arrangements for:
•The development of a local Homelessness Strategy Action Plan, including local targets aligned to the national Outcomes Framework, temporary accommodation procurement priorities and regular progress reporting, for submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by 1st December 2026; and
•The preparation and implementation of a countywide Local Supported Housing Strategy by 31 March 2027, in accordance with the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.

Alternative options considered

The Council could choose not to enter into the countywide Memorandum of Understanding and instead develop its own local arrangements to produce a Gedling-only Local Supported Housing Strategy and Homelessness Strategy Action Plan. This option is not recommended because:
•It would require additional internal capacity and resource at a time when the pooled countywide model is designed to provide shared programme support.
•It would be less efficient and could duplicate work already being undertaken collectively across Nottinghamshire.
•It would risk weaker alignment with neighbouring authorities and partner agencies where supported housing need and homelessness issues cross administrative boundaries.
•It may increase the risk of delay in meeting the statutory deadlines for the Local Supported Housing Strategy and Homelessness Strategy Action Plan.
The Council could decide not to participate in the proposed arrangements at this stage and take no immediate action. This option is not recommended because it would create a significant risk of non-compliance with statutory and national policy requirements, forgo the benefits of shared capacity and partner expertise, and expose the Council to greater operational, financial and reputational risk than the proposed collaborative model.