Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy and the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources setting out a programme of capital investment to increase the Council’s temporary accommodation portfolio to reduce the costs associated with providing temporary accommodation.  

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy and the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources seeking to set out a programme of capital investment to increase the Council’s temporary accommodation portfolio to reduce the costs associated with using hotels and other buildings.

RECOMMENDED to Council that:

(1)           delegated authority be provided to the Corporate Director in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources and the Director of One Legal to:

a)    approve the establishment of a capital investment fund, funded from borrowing, to enable an acquisition programme for buildings or other structures for use as temporary accommodation for households who present as homeless to the Council

b)    explore options and appoint a provider, or other arrangement, to manage the temporary accommodation provided on behalf of the Council

c)    procure and appoint contractors and associated professional services to carry out any works required to bring the properties into use as units of temporary accommodation

(2)           acquisitions be made in accordance with the principles of this report and the total costs will not exceed £5m.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy and the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources that proposed that a programme of capital investment be set out to increase the Council’s temporary accommodation portfolio to reduce the costs associated with using hotels and other buildings.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy outlined the background to the report and reasons behind the increase in families requiring temporary accommodation (3.2) which she stressed was a national as well as a local issue.  She noted that the proposed programme was only one of the solutions that the Council is working on to ensure that households who find themselves in the terrible position of homelessness can be supported.  The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources drew Members’ attention to the financial implications (9.1) and made it clear that each acquisition should be decided on a case-by-case basis so that the right decision is made both for individuals and the finances of the Council.  She thanked both the Communities and Finance Teams and especially the Housing Innovation Manager and Financial Services Manager.  The Cabinet Member for Environment expressed his own gratitude to officers for moving so fast to find solutions to what was a nationwide problem.  He noted that this proposal was innovative and advised Members that he had been approached by a Metropolitan Council with praise for it.

RECOMMENDED to Council that:

(1)           delegated authority be provided to the Corporate Director in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources and the Director of One Legal to:

a)    approve the establishment of a capital investment fund, funded from borrowing, to enable an acquisition programme for buildings or other structures for use as temporary accommodation for households who present as homeless to the Council

b)    explore options and appoint a provider, or other arrangement, to manage the temporary accommodation provided on behalf of the Council

c)    procure and appoint contractors and associated professional services to carry out any works required to bring the properties into use as units of temporary accommodation

(2)           acquisitions be made in accordance with the principles of this report and the total costs will not exceed £5m.