Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to seek approval for First Wave Housing to offer supported exempt accommodation to help care experienced young people, residents in supported living arrangements, and residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The scheme aims to increase availability and improve the quality of supported accommodation while reducing costs to the Council.

Prior to considering the report, Cabinet noted the representations and comments made by Andrew Hudson (as Independent Chair of First Wave Housing Ltd Board) speaking in support of the proposal for First Wave Housing Ltd (FWH) to offer supported exempt accommodation (SEA) to help care experienced young people, residents in supported living arrangements, and residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

In addressing Cabinet, Andrew Hudson began by confirming FWH’s willingness to play a key role in supporting vulnerable residents and seeking to achieve the dual benefits it was felt the proposal would deliver in terms of providing better quality support for tenants and also value for money for the Council.  Cabinet was assured of the detailed level of scrutiny undertaken by the Board in developing the proposals to ensure the scheme was viable and would not create undue risk to the service provided for other FWH tenants.  Having received those assurances, the Board was therefore confident in the being able to deliver the scheme as outlined within the report, which it was noted would proceed in stages with a formal evaluation at the end of the first phase.  This process would also be supported through the provision of necessary resourcing, recognising the change and level of co-ordination required with further assurance provided as a result of the Council’s backstop guarantee designed to mitigate any risk in relation to FWH’s financial position.

In concluding his remarks, Andrew Hudson confirmed that, having received the assurances required, the FWH Board remained fully supportive of the scheme and committed to its successful implementation.

Having welcomed the support expressed and the cross-departmental working approach being taken to deliver the scheme, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve that First Wave Housing launches and operates a supported housing scheme and request that officers vary First Wave Housing’s 2026-27 business plan accordingly when presented to Cabinet in March 2026.

(2)       To agree to work in partnership with First Wave Housing to provide supported exempt accommodation, including committing Council staff to meet the requirements of the proposal and signing a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect.

(3)       To approve the financial implications of the proposal as outlined in section 7 of the report, including staffing and legal costs.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 16 February 2026

In Councillor Donnelly-Jackson’s absence (as Cabinet Member for Housing) Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) invited Tom Cattermole (Corporate Director Resident & Housing Services) to introduce a report seeking approval for the proposed use of First Wave Housing (FWH) Ltd as a provider offering supported exempt accommodation (SEA) to help care experienced young people, residents in supported living arrangements, and residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

In presenting the report, Tom Cattermole advised that the proposal had been designed to take advantage of an opportunity identified for Brent to both reduce costs and improve the quality of supported housing in Brent.  Members noted that the aim behind development of the model had been focussed around the provision of value and high quality support whilst also ensuring this was based on a financially sustainable approach over the long term in a way that would also join up services so care?experienced young people, adults in supported living, and residents at risk of homelessness could all benefit from a more seamless, person centred offer.  It was confirmed that the approach identified had followed detailed engagement with residents with lived experience as well as best practice and followed detailed consideration and approval by the First Wave Housing Board.

In terms of the approach outlined, members were advised that the initial focus would be on making supported living more financially sustainable and trialling new provision for care experienced young people.  Subject to the outcome achieved, this would then be extended to residents in temporary accommodation or at risk of homelessness with the aim by 2028 to deliver over 100 units and support more than 300 residents.  In highlighting the £2m worth of savings already achieved in relation to the SEA budget, it was pointed out that the proposal had also been designed to ease pressure on commissioning and temporary accommodation budgets as a means of reducing costs, with the scheme also providing an opportunity to move people out of temporary accommodation and prevent homelessness where support needs were present in a way that would not only offer better value for residents but also enable the design and provision of a holistic, person centred support offer from the ground up.

Having thanked Tom Cattermole for introducing the report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) then welcomed Andrew Hudson (as Chair of the First Wave Housing Ltd Board) to the meeting who he advised had been invited to attend in order to comment on the proposals from the perspective of the Board.

In addressing Cabinet, Andrew Hudson began by confirming FWH’s willingness to play a key role in supporting vulnerable residents and seeking to achieve the dual benefits it was felt the proposal would deliver in terms of providing better quality support for tenants and also value for money for the Council.  Cabinet was assured of the detailed level of scrutiny undertaken by the Board in developing the proposals to ensure the scheme was viable and would not create undue risk to the service provided for other FWH tenants.  Having received those assurances, the Board was therefore confident in being able to deliver the scheme as outlined within the report, which it was noted would proceed in stages with a formal evaluation at the end of the first phase.  This process would also be supported through the provision of necessary resourcing, recognising the change and level of co-ordination required with further assurance provided as a result of the Council’s backstop guarantee designed to mitigate any risk in relation to FWH’s financial position.

Concluding, Andrew Hudson confirmed that, having received the assurances required, the FWH Board were fully supportive of the scheme and committed to its successful implementation.

In considering the report Cabinet welcomed the clear and responsible nature of the proposal and approach outlined, given the way it had been designed to ensure the provision of a well-managed and properly regulated offer not only in support of care experienced young people but also residents with mental heal needs, disabilities and those at risk of homelessness focussed on the quality of care and appropriate oversight rather than commercial gain.  Support was also expressed for what members felt to be the more coherent, joined up and integrated nature of the model outlined in seeking to establish a trusted provider in a way that would support the health and wellbeing of more vulnerable residents to move into independent living whilst also reducing reliance on temporary accommodation, easing pressure on homelessness services and strengthening the Council’s financial resilience.

Having welcomed the support and partnership with First Wave Housing Ltd, along with the cross-departmental approach being taken to deliver the scheme as a means of enhancing the quality of support for those residents in need, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve that First Wave Housing launches and operates a supported housing scheme and request that officers vary First Wave Housing’s 2026-27 business plan accordingly when presented to Cabinet in March 2026.

(2)       To agree to work in partnership with First Wave Housing to provide supported exempt accommodation, including committing Council staff to meet the requirements of the proposal and signing a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect.

(3)    To approve the financial implications of the proposal as outlined in section 7 of the report, including staffing and legal costs.