Cabinet - Tuesday, 20th January, 2026 5.30 pm - Agenda and draft minutes

Under the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, all Members are required to disclose relevant Interests in any matter to be considered at the meeting.  Where the matter directly relates to a Member’s Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Registrable Interest, that Member must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation (see note below). If the matter directly relates to ‘Non-Registrable Interests’, the Member’s participation in the meeting will depend on the nature of the matter and whether it directly relates or affects their financial interest or well-being or that of a relative, friend  or close associate, applying the tests set out in the Code.

NOTE:

On 27th May, 2021, the Council’s Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee granted dispensations to Members appointed by the Council to the Board of the Rushmoor Development Partnership and as Directors of Rushmoor Homes Limited.

Having regard to the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, no declarations of interest were made.

To consider resolving:

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

Item                Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

3                      3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

RESOLVED: That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the item:

Minute           Schedule      Category

No.                  12A Para.

                        No.

57                   3                      Information relating to financial or business affairs

To consider Exempt Report No. PG2601 (copy attached), which sets out options for the continuation of homelessness support services provided at Grosvenor Road, Aldershot.

The Cabinet considered Exempt Report No. PG2601, which set out options for the continuation of homelessness support services at a premises in Aldershot.

Members were informed that the identity of the premises was considered to be confidential due to the vulnerability of the residents that lived there. The site provided accommodation with intensive support for up to twenty single adults with complex needs. Support was currently funded by the Hampshire Council Council Social Exclusion Fund and delivered by Two Saints but Members were informed that this funding would end on 31st March, 2026 and that, without replacement funding, the service would close. The Exempt Report set out costed options to mitigate the risk of street homelessness from 1st April, 2026, including the Council covering the cost of the service ongoing, the closing of the service and placing of residents into B & B accommodation with outreach support or the closing of the service with the residents receiving accommodation and support through another provider.

In discussing the options, Members expressed strong support for the continuation of the service, preferably on the current site. It was explained that the existing service provider, Two Saints, was not able to deliver the service for the budget the Council had available therefore, should the Council take on the funding of the existing service, residents would remain in the same premises and existing staff would be transferred over to the new provider, Home Group, using TUPE provisions. Members felt this was the best option to continue to provide this important service to its vulnerable residents.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

i)             the implementation of Option 1, to provide funding to secure a support service in the existing building, as set out in Exempt Report No. PG2601, be approved;

ii)            the provision of supplementary estimates for the sums set out in the Exempt Report be approved for the financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28, to be funded from the Council’s Homelessness Prevention Fund (Legacy and Current allocation); and

iii)           the submitting of a request for an exemption under the Contract Procedure Rules for a support contract direct award, utilising the Council’s form of contract, be approved.