Issue - meetings

As the report has an exempt appendix 2, any discussion on this element would need to take place in exempt session at the end of the meeting.

RECOMMENDED:     That :

1)    The Council will enter a Memorandum of Understanding (Appendix 1) with DLUHC based on the attached prospectus for the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 2 (appendix 2)

2)    The Council will accept the total sum of £868,000 offered to the Council by DLUHC under the Local Authority Housing Fund to deliver the programme understanding the match funding requirements as set out in the report and attached prospectus.

3)    The Council will commit match funding of up to £952,000 to deliver the 7 homes.

4)    The Council will seek to maximise the Flexible Housing Fund to reduce the overall match funding required from the Council.

5)    Authority is delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing People and Communities to negotiate and agree the final terms of contract with DLUHC under which the grant will be accepted.

6)    The Council will purchase up to 7 properties on the basis of a subsequent freehold transfer to West Norfolk Housing Company subject to agreement from West Norfolk Housing Company.

7)    Authority is delegated to the Assistant Director (Regeneration, Housing and Place) and portfolio holder for Communities to provide grant funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund to Freebridge Community Housing in the event that they agree to bring an identified long term empty property back into use as detailed in the report.

8)    The Council agrees to the principle of allocating 6 of the properties acquired through the fund to eligible Afghan households in accordance with the existing Local Lettings Plan. 1 property will be used as temporary accommodation.

Reason for Decision

The recommendations will ensure that the opportunity presented by the Local Authority Housing Fund to deliver affordable housing in the borough will be fully realised and will help to relieve pressures on the council’s homelessness services.

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Cabinet considered the report which provided information on the funding offered to BCKLWN in June 2023 through Round 2 of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF). The programme had been established by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to support Local Authorities to acquire homes to accommodate households with housing needs who have arrived in the UK via Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes.

The Council had been offered grant to acquire 7 homes for Afghan households and 1 property for the council to use as temporary need to meet wider homelessness needs. This was subject to acceptance of terms by the Council through a Memorandum of Understanding. The purpose of the report was to seek approval to accept the grant, provide the required match funding and inform the Cabinet of the requirements of the grant funding and potential delivery options.

It was noted that the Environment and Community Panel had supported the recommendations.

Councillor Morley commented that the properties were unlikely to come back into the general stock as the occupants were likely to stay on. Councillor de Whalley supported the proposal.

Councillor Parish drew attention to an LGA discussion held where some areas did not have any suitable properties to purchase with large waiting lists.  He asked where the match funding was to be taken from.   It was noted that the report explained that section 5 of the report set out the arrangements for funding. It was noted that the detail of the proposed purchases was exempt information at this stage.  Cabinet therefore proposed to move into exempt session. The decision was taken after that discussion.