Progress welcomed on troubled Newhaven homeless accommodation

On Tuesday (July 19), members of the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board were given an update on the situation at Kendal Court, which is used as temporary housing by Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC).

The building had been at the centre of a long-running dispute between BHCC and East Sussex County Council (ESCC), with the latter arguing its neighbouring authority had been ‘unlawfully’ using it to house people with complex needs.

This dispute reached a point in December last year when ESCC said it was looking at taking legal action to resolve the matter.

According to ESCC officers, 11 people have died at Kendal Court within the past four years, including a previously unreported death on May 13 this year.

Despite this, officers also reported there had been ‘significant improvement in the situation’ since the board was last updated.

They said BHCC has maintained its pause on new placements — brought in following the death of another resident in December 2021 — with fewer than 20 people currently staying there. These residents now receive on-site support and regular visits from welfare officers, the board heard.

BHCC was also reported to have reduced its placements within East Sussex more generally. As of May 26, there were 118 Brighton residents placed within homelessness accommodation within East Sussex, down from 314 in February 2021.

In light of this officers say there is ‘reasonable assurance’ that BHCC has now put in place adequate arrangements to support the people it accommodates in East Sussex, thus avoiding the need for further escalation.

Even so, officers also note that preparatory work has already been undertaken to formally escalate the ongoing concerns to the Secretary of State for Housing, Levelling Up and Communities.

Cllr Keith Glazier, leader of ESCC and chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “I think the fact that they continue to take the steps they are [taking] can only be welcomed.

“We can only hope this will come to a satisfactory final conclusion.”

The board agree to note the update and receive a further (and potentially final) update when it next meets in September.