Issue - meetings
Temporary Accommodation Options
Meeting: 24/01/2024 - Council (Item 563)
563 Temporary Accommodation Options - Addition to the Capital Programme 
PDF 186 KB
The report sets out three initiatives - to purchase further units of temporary accommodation, to take on leases for the use of temporary accommodation and the setting up of a lettings department with a view to managing and generating business and ensure certainty around availability of units of accommodation.
Minutes:
Background:
The report set out three initiatives - to purchase further units of temporary accommodation, to take on leases for the use of temporary accommodation and the setting up of a lettings department with a view to managing and generating business and ensure certainty around availability of units of accommodation.
The report explained that increased demand and cost for providing homeless households with temporary accommodation had led to budget pressure. There was a clear need to address the financial pressures faced by the housing service and implement new initiatives that would relieve/reduce the pressure on the budget.
The report had been considered by the Cabinet on 16 January 2024, the recommendations to the Cabinet were set out in section 6 of the report.
The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property, Councillor Khan, supported by Councillor Campbell, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.
Decision:
The Council agreed to add £41,925,000 to the Capital Programme (funded by prudential borrowing) for the purchasing of approximately 150 further homes.
Meeting: 16/01/2024 - Cabinet (Item 7)
7 Temporary Accommodation Options PDF 208 KB
Minutes:
Background:
This report provided details of three initiatives - to purchase further units of temporary accommodation, to take on leases for the use of temporary accommodation and the setting up of a lettings department with a view to managing and generating business and ensure certainty around availability of units of accommodation.
The proposals were in response to an unprecedented increase in demand and cost for providing homeless households with temporary accommodation, which had led to a budget pressure. The report explained that pursuing a combination of options would ensure that there was availability of accommodation and that costs for accommodation would not escalate further.
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Decision number:
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Decision:
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2/2024 |
The Cabinet recommend Council to agree to add £41,925,000 to the Capital Programme (funded by prudential borrowing) for the purchasing of approximately 150 further homes. |
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3/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed to take on up to 150 leases of properties in the private sector for use as temporary accommodation and agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property, to facilitate this. |
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4/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Place to grant, enter into, or vary the terms of leases or sub leases for the provision of temporary accommodation, where the consideration does not exceed £15,000 per annum. |
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5/2024 |
The Cabinet agreed to the setup of an internal lettings department to take on properties to prevent homelessness and the associated costs in doing so, noting that this would include set up costs of approximately £153,000 and £137,100 ongoing annual costs. |
Reasons:
There is an overreliance on the private sector for units of temporary accommodation and with increasing costs of these units and the increased demands on the homeless service there is a need to look at providing services in a different way.
Purchasing and leasing accommodation gives some certainty about units that will be available and ensures that the spend for these units is known for the short and medium term.
Creating our own lettings agency allows for better access to the private rental market for homeless households to enable the homeless duty to be discharged and prevent households coming through into temporary accommodation, which is costly to the Council.