Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources seeking to outline the reason for the disposal of two properties (property no. 2 and property no. 8) purchased as part of the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme and delegate authority to enable the disposal.

RESOLVED that:

(1)       Cabinet will enable use of property no. 2 and property no. 8 to be used as family temporary accommodation should there be suitable families large enough for their use and officers deem them a reasonable offer of temporary accommodation;

(2)       should no suitable homeless families be found for either property, then Cabinet will instruct officers to proceed with the proposed decision to dispose of either property, which will be done in consultation and agreement with the Cabinet Member for Resources;

(3)       the proceeds of the sale will be ringfenced for further purchases of suitable temporary accommodation, which will be done in consultation and agreement with the Cabinet Member for Housing.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources that sought to outline the reason for the disposal of two properties (property no. 2 and property no. 8) purchased as part of the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme and to delegate authority to enable the disposal.

The Cabinet Member for Resources summarised the report.  He drew Members’ attention to the points raised in its consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (4^th November 2024 Minute 39).  The Cabinet Member for Resources advised that this administration took a different view of how to administer temporary accommodation from the last.  He reminded Members of their manifesto pledge to both support homeless people and control the proliferation of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and that the Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme approved by Council (16^th November 2023 Minute 50) did not state that family homes would be converted into HMOs.  The Cabinet Member for Resources noted that converting the two family homes in question into HMOs would be contrary to both the manifesto and what he believed to be the principles of the Temporary Acquisition Programme as well as having a negative impact on the locality.

The Cabinet Member for Resources detailed each of the revised recommendations (Addendum) published in response to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolutions (Appendix 2).  He reassured Members that if there are homeless families for whom the two properties are suitable then they will have access to them. 

RESOLVED that:

(1)       Cabinet will enable use of property no. 2 and property no. 8 to be used as family temporary accommodation should there be suitable families large enough for their use and officers deem them a reasonable offer of temporary accommodation;

(2)       should no suitable homeless families be found for either property, then Cabinet will instruct officers to proceed with the proposed decision to dispose of either property, which will be done in consultation and agreement with the Cabinet Member for Resources;

(3)       the proceeds of the sale will be ringfenced for further purchases of suitable temporary accommodation, which will be done in consultation and agreement with the Cabinet Member for Housing.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Resources seeking to outline the reason for the disposal of two properties purchased as part of the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme and delegate authority to enable the disposal.

39.1    The Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Wilson, introduced the report and provided an overview of the key headlines. He explained that the report concerned the decision to dispose of properties no 2 and no 8, which had been purchased by the council under the previous administration to convert into Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), as part of the council’s Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme.

39.2    Councillor Wilson noted that the policy behind the decision was covered in a separate report which was due to be considered by Cabinet in the coming weeks, and was part of the administration’s commitment to control the proliferation of HMOs in areas of the city which already had a high concentration.

39.3    Councillor Wilson stated that at present, there were not enough family homes in Gloucester, and that HMOs had the potential to reduce low-cost opportunities for home ownership, reduce opportunities for affordable rent, and result in a loss to community balance. He confirmed that the report proposed to sell the properties as soon as possible and buy alternative properties which were more suitable.

39.4    Councillor S. Chambers expressed the view that although the report concerned the disposal of assets, the proposed decision would have a critical impact on housing residents in need of temporary accommodation. She asked how many households were currently in temporary accommodation in Gloucester, how many were currently being housed in hotels and how many had spent over 6 weeks in hotel accommodation. Councillor Wilson confirmed that as of the end of September, there were 189 people currently in temporary accommodation, with 80 of those people being single people and 109 being families. He confirmed that 37 of those residents were currently in B and B accommodation,

39.5    Councillor S. Chambers asked what wards the properties purchased under the Temporary Accommodation Acquisition policy were situated in. Councillor Wilson advised that there were 6 such properties in Kingsholm and Wotton, 4 in Podsmead and 3 in Moreland. He further advised that currently in conveyancing, there were a further 2 properties in Barton and Tredworth and 1 Moreland and Grange respectively.

39.6    Councillor S. Chambers asked how many of those properties were HMOs. Councillor Wilson confirmed that there were 4 in total, including the properties referenced in the report. He confirmed that the other properties were situated on Stroud Road and Kingsholm Road and were already HMOs rather than properties which needed to be converted.

39.7    In response to a query from Councillor S. Chambers as to alternative cost-effective solutions to providing temporary accommodation, Councillor Wilson stated that alternatives included flats, apartments and former commercial properties.

39.8    Councillor S. Chambers stated that the report proposed to overturn a joint report of the former Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources and Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing. She raised concerns that the cost implications were not clear in the report and asked for clarification on the impact on services as a result of the proposed decision. Councillor Wilson referred Members to the narrative in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39