Agenda item

Report of the Director of Adult Services

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing, that sought approval to add £6m to the Council’s capital programme to purchase, refurbish and manage 25 properties to use as temporary accommodation for homeless families.

The Council has a statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation to homeless households who are eligible and have a priority need.  In order to meet demand from homeless families who require temporary accommodation of 3 or more bedrooms, it was proposed to initially add £6m to the Council’s capital programme to purchase, refurbish and manage 25 properties for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families.  Subject to review, once the 25 properties had been achieved and / or £6m resource used, the programme may be increased by a further 25 properties, bringing the total to 50 properties.  In completing the programme of work the City Council would focus on bringing as many Houses of Multiple Occupation back into family use for temporary accommodation as possible within the delivery timescales.

In addition, the Council would seek nomination agreements for a further 25 properties of 3 or more bedrooms for use as temporary accommodation from existing approved budgets.

There remained a significant demand for temporary accommodation from families and as of 11^th February 2022 there were 83 families in 3 and 4 bedroomed nightly temporary accommodation.  There was no indication that this number would reduce.  Previous programmes of work undertaken within the Housing and Homelessness Service had focussed on temporary accommodation for smaller families requiring 1 or 2 bedrooms and accommodation for single people.  These initiatives had resulted in both a reduced cost and improved supply of temporary accommodation.  The proposals within the report submitted aim to deliver a similar set of outcomes to those achieved for smaller families and single people through both reducing the cost and improving the supply of temporary accommodation.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet recommend that Council:

1.  That capital resource of up to £6m is added to the capital programme to purchase, refurbish and manage 25 properties which are 3 or more bedrooms to use as temporary housing for homeless families.

2.  That approval is sought to enable Nomination Agreements to be entered into for 25 properties which have 3 or more bedrooms for use as temporary housing for homeless families using existing approved budgets.

3.  A further £7m to purchase, refurbish and manage properties to use as temporary housing for homeless families to be added to the capital programme once the £6m has been expended and / or 25 properties have been purchased in recommendation 1 above, and authority be delegated to the Chief Operating Officer (Section 151 Officer), following consultation with the Director off Adult Services and Housing, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities and the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, to ensure it continues to deliver value for money in purchasing properties to use as temporary housing for homeless families.

4.  Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer (Section 151 Officer), following consultation with the Director of Adult Services and Housing, the Cabinet member for Housing and Communities and the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources to finalise and agree the detailed terms of the acquisitions.  The authority under this delegation shall also include the power to enter into the necessary legal agreements and subsequently the power to negotiate and agree variations to the terms of such agreements.