Housing Portfolio

Exempt Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To consider report SHAP/83 of the Head of Strategic Housing Services, which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 6 September 2021.

Exempt Part B - By Virtue of Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation to complete the purchase/acquisition, to the Head of Strategic Housing Services, Head of Legal, Governance and HR and Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing.

(Generic Delegations 2 & 3 will be used to enact this recommendation)

Reasons for the Recommendations

The Council currently has 279 households in temporary accommodation, 100 of these in nightly paid accommodation, including 30 out of borough placements. This represents the highest level of need and demand for temporary accommodation faced by the Council to date.

The average net cost of nightly paid accommodation to the council per household per week is £211.50 equating to £21,150.00 per week / £1.1m per year for current numbers. This figure does not include any additional financial burdens arising from non-payment of contributions or ineligibility for benefits.

A raft of measures is being progressed both locally and at a countywide level to reduce the pressure on nightly paid accommodation. This report is focused on one of these work strands, namely to expand the portfolio of Council owned temporary accommodation.

This detached two storey property will provide an additional 6 units of temporary accommodation.

Exempt Part B - By Virtue of Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

The Cabinet Member for Housing presented report SHAP/83.  The report sought approval to purchase a property on the open market to be used for Temporary Accommodation. The purchase will be funded through the approved budget for Temporary Accommodation.

Councillor Khan presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 6 September 2021, which included their general support as it would be a flexible approach to meet the demands of the service and acknowledged that consultation would take place as part of the planning process.

During discussion on the report Members of the Cabinet expressed their support for the report’s proposal to help address some of the temporary accommodation needs within the Borough.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation to complete the purchase/acquisition, to the Head of Strategic Housing Services, Head of Legal, Governance and HR and Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing.

(Generic Delegations 2 & 3 will be used to enact this recommendation)

Reasons for the Recommendations

The Council currently has 279 households in temporary accommodation, 100 of these in nightly paid accommodation, including 30 out of borough placements. This represents the highest level of need and demand for temporary accommodation faced by the Council to date.

The average net cost of nightly paid accommodation to the council per household per week is £211.50 equating to £21,150.00 per week / £1.1m per year for current numbers. This figure does not include any additional financial burdens arising from non-payment of contributions or ineligibility for benefits.

A raft of measures is being progressed both locally and at a countywide level to reduce the pressure on nightly paid accommodation. This report is focused on one of these work strands, namely to expand the portfolio of Council owned temporary accommodation.

This detached two storey property will provide an additional 6 units of temporary accommodation.

Exempt Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To consider report SHAP/83 of the Head of Strategic Housing Services.

Exempt Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

The Commission considered report SHAP/83 of the Head of Strategic Housing.  The report sought approval to purchase a property on the open market to be used for Temporary Accommodation. The purchase will be funded through the approved budget for Temporary Accommodation.

During the discussion with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Housing Options Manager, Councillors made the following comments:

·         Recognition that the property would assist in the urgent need to increase the portfolio of temporary accommodation owned and managed by the Council to meet the increased demand and ease the reliance on expensive nightly paid accommodation, including out of borough placement.

·         Acknowledgement that the detached property would provide an additional 6 units of temporary accommodation.  It would be flexible to meet the demands of the service.

·         Consultation would take place as part of the planning process.

·         General support for the report.

RESOLVED

That the Commission notes the report and requests that the views expressed during the debate, are fed back to the Cabinet through the Commission’s Comment sheet.