Decision details

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Head of Housing and Health on the Temporary Accommodation project.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Assets and Property Services and Deputy Leader outlined the contents of the report with particular reference to the following:

• The Council had a duty to provide temporary accommodation to homeless households in certain circumstances. Ideally, households were placed into self-contained accommodation pending further assessment, but, due to a limit on available housing and the number of presentations being received each year, it was necessary to place households in hotel accommodation.
• The current Housing Strategy 2020 - 2025 aimed to reduce the use of hotels as temporary accommodation through the provision of own stock housing solutions. This aspiration was confirmed by Government priorities, and guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) indicated that local authorities must strive to provide those presenting as homeless with more appropriate temporary accommodation options.

RESOLVED that Cabinet pursues the purchase of the empty property identified in Part II Annexes A - F of the report for the purpose of providing temporary accommodation.

(Proposed by the Leader of the Council)

Reason for Decision:

The LAHF R3 allocation would cover a significant proportion of the cost of the project, however the Council would need to fund the remaining balance. Further clarification would be required with the Finance service and lead accountants on how this could be funded with several options around capital reserves or capital borrowing (internal or external).

Note:* (i) Report previously circulated.

(ii) Cllr S Clist abstained from voting.