Northumberland County Council Delegation — Warming Hub "Option 5"

On October 15, 2025, IHARC appeared before Northumberland County Council to present an alternative option for this winter’s warming service — a modular, data-driven model called Rally Point.

We made this delegation because the County’s staff report (Report 2025-209) listed only four potential sites — two rural, two in-town — but no option that re-designed the service itself. Each proposal followed the same framework as previous warming rooms: overnight security supervision, coffee and snacks, and little opportunity for progress. Given the short timeline before cold weather and the absence of a true innovation track, we felt it necessary to put forward a fifth, shovel-ready option that could demonstrate better outcomes within the same budget envelope.

Under County rules, new delegations normally require advance scheduling, but because this was an urgent matter, Council had to vote to allow IHARC to speak at the same meeting. Members approved the motion, showing their willingness to hear every credible solution before making a final decision.

The Rally Point proposal uses an innovative approach with defined safety zones, outreach-based staffing (not guards-only), hot sealed MRE meal service, and a live public outcomes dashboard. It converts nightly stays into navigation steps — treatment admissions, ID recovery, and housing links — while publishing real-time accountability data for the neighbourhood.

Watch & Read

• 🎥 Delegation video (starts at 3:10) : Watch now

• 📄 Staff report (2025-209): View the County document

• 📑 IHARC Rally Point proposal: Embedded below

IHARC thanks County Council for voting to hear this delegation under tight deadlines and for remaining open to practical, measurable approaches that go beyond maintaining the status quo.