The report concerns the supply of temporary accommodation in order to meet the Council’s duties to homeless households.  It proposes improvements to it.

The report recommends the Board as follows:-

(1)  To endorse the approach being taken to procure additional properties for temporary accommodation as part of the discharge of the Council’s homelessness duties;

(2)  To give project approval to the Homeless Accommodation Supply Project identified in the report, and to grant delegated authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Chief Executive to decide on the final management model, to tender contracts to set up and operate a scheme, and to award appropriate contracts and, as necessary, to agree property acquisitions, that are the most financially advantageous for the Council with respect to the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan, following approval from the Council’s Head of Finance;

(3)  To ask officers report progress to the Board after the first £5million spend to evaluate the impact of the scheme;

(4)  To recommend Council as follows:-

(a)  That the 2013/14 General Fund Capital Budget be updated with the inclusion of a new scheme, namely “Homeless Property Acquisitions”, estimated at £5 million, funded from borrowing, and to include a further £5 million budget in 2014/15;

(b)  To increase General Fund external borrowing of up to £10 million to finance the capital expenditure.

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The Head of Housing and Property submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning the supply of temporary accommodation in order to meet the Council’s duties to homelessness households, and proposes improvements to it.

Councillor Scott Seamons (Board Member for Housing) introduced the report and provided some background and context.

Resolved:-

(1) To endorse the approach being taken to procure additional properties for temporary accommodation as part of the discharge of the Council’s homelessness duties;

(2) To give project approval to the Homeless Accommodation Supply Project identified in the report, and to grant delegated authority to the Executive Director for Regeneration and Housing in consultation with the Chief Executive to decide on the final management model, to tender contracts to set up and operate a scheme, and to award appropriate contracts and, as necessary, to agree property acquisitions, that are the most financially advantageous for the Council with respect to the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan, following approval from the Council’s Head of Finance; and that the final management model will be agreed in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Board Member for Housing and the Leaders of the two Opposition Groups;

(3) To ask officers report progress to the Board after the first £5million spend to evaluate the impact of the scheme;

(4)  To recommend Council as follows:-

(a)  That the 2013/14 General Fund Capital Budget be updated with the inclusion of a new scheme, namely “Homeless Property Acquisitions”, estimated at £5 million, funded from borrowing, and to include a further £5 million budget in 2014/15;

(b)  To increase General Fund external borrowing of up to £10 million to finance the capital expenditure.