ACTION is being taken to save a vital community hub for homeless people in Stratford.
The Fred Winter Centre was set up as a result of a community driven initiative to support those facing homelessness and poverty right across the district.
It focuses on providing housing, as well as a range of other services tackling hardship, improving health and wellbeing, overcoming financial problems, securing job and training opportunities and sustaining tenancies in local affordable homes.
Spring Housing Association is both the lessee and service provider of the Fred Winter Centre, working with Stratford District Council to develop this new and sustainable approach to tackling acute homelessness in the district.
But Spring has now informed SDC that the costs of delivering the Fred Winter Centre are significantly higher than budgeted for. This has arisen due to increased costs due to inflation, with particular pressures around utilities – gas has increased 250 per cent and electric by 160 per cent.
The needs of individuals have also proved higher and more complex than initially projected, with services having to run 24/7.
As a result, Spring and SDC have been working on changes to the operating model to ensure the service can continue.
The annual running cost of the centre is £640,000. This is set against Spring’s income of £278,482, leaving £361,435 to be met by Spring. This position is not sustainable.
Spring has undertaken an options appraisal around the future of the centre in order to ensure its viability on an ongoing basis. It has also undertaken a number of measures to reduce costs, including closing the community cafe.
In addition, they are looking at longer term measures to reduce costs, including the potential for PV panels to reduce electricity costs.
They will also be looking at their rent model – transferring from affordable rent to social rents under the Supported Exempt Accommodation model to increase the amount of income recoverable.
SDC’s Cabinet is set to approve this new operating model at a meeting on Monday (October 6).
Papers to go before councillors state the Fred Winter Centre is a core part of the council’s housing options and homelessness pathway, providing a valuable resource for some of the district’s most vulnerable individuals.
The proposed changes will allow SDC to support the scheme into a more sustainable position and secure the provision on an ongoing basis.
