Nottingham City Council has approved plans to spend up to £240,000 on overnight staffing for emergency accommodation used by rough sleepers during severe weather.
The move approves an open tender for a one-year contract, with the option to extend for two further one-year periods, to provide staffing for temporary accommodation under the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, known as SWEP.
The contract is due to begin on 1 October 2026 and could run for a maximum of three years. The approved budget is £80,000 per year, with a maximum total value of £240,000.
SWEP is used by councils to provide emergency shelter for people sleeping rough during periods of severe weather. The Nottingham protocol operates between 1 October and 30 April each year, in line with historical cold weather patterns.
The council report says homeless people, particularly rough sleepers, are among those most at risk from cold weather because of exposure to outdoor temperatures and other factors including isolation, smoking, substance dependency, mental illness and chronic or respiratory illness.
The report also makes clear that there is no additional statutory duty on public authorities to provide shelter during life-threatening weather conditions. However, it says councils and partner agencies have a “humanitarian obligation” to try to prevent deaths on the streets.
Until winter 2023, Nottingham City Council used hotels during severe weather to provide rapid accommodation for people experiencing homelessness. The council says that approach created a number of problems, including significant cost, people presenting in Nottingham from outside the city, and some people leaving existing accommodation because hotels were seen as a more attractive option.
The report says that when SWEP periods ended, many people were left without ongoing accommodation and returned to rough sleeping.
In winter 2023, the council trialled a different model using temporary shelters at sites across the city. Separate provision was made for women, people with higher needs and people with lower needs.
The sites were staffed overnight by specialist workers, who took basic details from people using the service, ensured site rules were followed and helped maintain safety and wellbeing.
According to the council, the trial reduced costs by an initial £25,000. It also says no individuals presented after leaving hostel accommodation for what was described as a more “attractive” offer, and there were no safeguarding implications or reports of criminal damage.
The council has used AGS Ltd to operate the staffing arrangements since 2023, but that contract ended on 30 April 2026. A new tender process is now required so a contract is in place for the start of the next winter SWEP period.
The tender will be run through open competition and managed by the council’s procurement team. Authority has also been delegated to the Assistant Director of Homelessness Services to approve the outcome and award the contract to the provider considered most suitable.
Funding will come from the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant for 2026 to 2029. The report says the grant has already been formally accepted by the council and must be spent in line with Government conditions, including data reporting requirements.
The July Executive Board report assigns £150,000 to the intervention, but the delegated decision says costs could reach £240,000 over three years depending on weather conditions and the frequency of SWEP activations. If costs are likely to exceed the £150,000 allocation during the contract term, this will be dealt with through delegated authority and reported through the council’s financial monitoring process.
The report says there is no anticipated requirement for additional council funding beyond the approved grant. Spend will be demand-led and monitored through the council’s monthly budget process.
The legal section of the report says the contracts form part of the council’s obligations under homelessness legislation and statutory guidance, including provision to prevent rough sleeping and manage health and wellbeing risks during winter months. It says there are no legal concerns arising from the decision, provided funding is spent in accordance with the relevant grant conditions.
The contract value is below £300,000, which is why the decision has been classified as operational. The procurement must comply with the Procurement Act 2023 and the council’s contract procedure rules.
