To consider a report that presents a headline business case for the purchase of properties on the open market suitable for temporary and re-settlement accommodation, utilising approved council funds and funds recently offered to the authority by government.

N.B.  Appendix A is Exempt.

i)    That participation in the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 programme be agreed, with a view to bringing 12 properties into the council’s ownership to meet short, medium and long-term housing needs within the district.

ii)    That the approach to the spend of the funds, including type, priority location and delivery approach, as articulated within this report be approved.

iii)   That the Assistant Director of Strategic Growth & Development, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing be delegated authority to finalise and agree the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the LAHF Round 3 programme with DLUHC and:

iv)   That the 2024/25 capital programme, as set out in Appendix 2, be amended to reflect the LAHF 3 funds and recommended to Full Council.

That Council be recommended to approve;

i)    The Council’s 2024/25 capital programme to be amended to include the £1.067m in Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 funds, taking the council’s total capital budget for temporary accommodation investment to £2.067m.

A report was presented to seek agreement and approval of the delivery of the ELDC Temporary Accommodation Programme Utilising the £1million funding allocated through the Council’s Capital Programme and the award of DLUHC LAHF 3 funding for Temporary and Resettlement homes.

The report presented a headline business case for the purchase of properties on the open market suitable for temporary and re-settlement accommodation, utilising approved council funds and funds recently offered to the authority by government.

In September 2023, Executive Board agreed to provide £1m to increase the Council’s temporary accommodation (TA) stock.  Subsequent to this decision, Full Council approved the amendment to the 2023/24 Capital Programme budget to include this provision.

More recently, the Council had been notified by DLUHC of the award of £1.067m grant in response to its Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 expression of interest for the delivery of further re-settlement homes and temporary accommodation units.

This report sought approval to take part in the LAHF Round 3 programme, accept the associated funds, agree a strategy for their spend, amend the council’s capital programme, and seek delegation to officers to agree the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the authority and MHCLG in relation to the LAHF funding.

During his introduction, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing provided detail into the background of the report and highlighted the following key information:

·       Analysis had defined a need to bring about an increase in the supply of one bed self-contained temporary accommodation properties as a priority investment.  Current figures showed that out of 1700 registered on the housing register, 826 of those required one bed accommodation;

·       The options explored for the delivery of one bed temporary accommodation homes was:

(a)            New Build Properties

(b)            Purchasing Existing Satisfactory Properties

(c)             Conversion of Bed and Breakfasts or Guest Houses

(d)            Conversion of Existing Properties

After exploring the options available option D was considered the most appropriate solution to meet the identified needs.

·     Planning policy on flood risk may require a variation to the approach in Skegness where ground floor sleeping accommodation was not permitted; therefore alternative consideration would be given to the acquisition of smaller 2-bed properties with first floor sleeping accommodation.

During discussion, the Portfolio Holder for Coastal Economy commented that it was sensible for the Council to buy and operate its own stock rather than using bed and breakfast for temporary accommodation.

The Leader of the Council added that the reality and sensitivity of homelessness over recent months had highlighted that as a Council this was dealt with very well and passed his thanks to both the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing and the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships together with the officer team for how this had been handled.

RESOLVED

i)    That participation in the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 programme be agreed, with a view to bringing 12 properties into the council’s ownership to meet short, medium and long-term housing needs within the district.

ii)    That the approach to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26