Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Housing & Support.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive:

(i)               Approve investing up to £4.000m from Housing Capital Receipt Reserves to:

a) purchase and refurbish a property that will be designated as emergency accommodation for homeless single people; and

b) purchase and refurbish additional properties for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families

(ii)             The Head of Housing be authorised, in consultation with the:

·        Chief Finance Officer

·        Strategic Head of Legal & Governance

·        Executive Member for Housing & Support

·        Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance & Governance

·        Executive Member for Investment & Companies

a)     To purchase a property that will be designated as emergency accommodation for homeless single people

b)    To purchase a number of properties within the agreed budget envelope that will be designated for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families

c)     To obtain any necessary surveys, planning consents, quotes and tenders as required to carry out refurbishment work

d)    To appoint and enter into any contracts as required, with consultants, suppliers and builders

e)     To apply to Homes England for any funding that could increase this budget envelope.

     The Executive Member for Housing and Support, Councillor Neame, introduced the report setting out proposals to purchase temporary and emergency accommodation for homeless single people and homeless families in the borough.

There had been a substantial spend increase in securing emergency and temporary accommodation within the private sector which is expected to increase. This was compounded by the lack of void properties within the social housing sector since the pandemic, homeless applications from the Home Office overflow dispersal accommodation in Redhill and applicants from the Ukrainian household schemes.

The report requested £1m to be used to purchase and adapt a house of multiple occupancy to be used as emergency accommodation for 4 single homeless applicants on a rolling basis. This was equal to around 86% saving on costs for those applicants that utilise the accommodation. The report also asked for £3m to purchase around 8 family-sized temporary accommodation properties. This accommodation does not come under the Right-to-Buy scheme, so the properties will be retained as an asset on the Council’s balance sheet.

Executive Members said the proposal was a good use of Council capital receipts received over the years. Over and above the financial saving, it enabled the Council to provide additional support and keep people closer to their network of friends and family in the borough. From experience of running accommodation for homeless families in Massetts Road, Horley, this saved money and improved the outcome for those families and single people.

Visiting Members welcomed the proposal. They asked whether the housing for families would be across the borough. It was confirmed that the most need was in the south of the borough which was where they would be looking for future accommodation.

In response to a question, the Head of Housing, confirmed that the end of Quarter 2 figures showed that there were 6 families housed in bed and breakfast accommodation outside the borough and 38 households in bed and breakfast in total. Larger households often ended up outside the borough as the Council struggled to secure larger emergency accommodation units locally.

Executive Members agreed the recommendations set out in the report as it was a high priority for the Council.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive:

(i)               Approve investing up to £4.000m from Housing Capital Receipt Reserves to:

a) purchase and refurbish a property that will be designated as emergency accommodation for homeless single people; and

b) purchase and refurbish additional properties for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families

(ii)             The Head of Housing be authorised, in consultation with the:

·        Chief Finance Officer

·        Strategic Head of Legal & Governance

·        Executive Member for Housing & Support

·        Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance & Governance

·        Executive Member for Investment & Companies

a)     To purchase a property that will be designated as emergency accommodation for homeless single people

b)    To purchase a number of properties within the agreed budget envelope that will be designated for use as temporary accommodation for homeless families

c)     To obtain any necessary surveys, planning consents, quotes and tenders as required  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25

The Executive Member for Housing & Support.