Issue - meetings

EEBC continues to have a significant financial outlay on temporary accommodation costs to meet its homelessness obligations under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The level of expenditure is likely to exceed the budget set for 2023/24 and this report sets out the actions taken to minimise the uplift and identifies the available funding to cover the additional expenditure.

EEBC continues to have a significant financial outlay on temporary accommodation costs to meet its homelessness obligations under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. The level of expenditure is likely to exceed the budget set for 2023/24 and the Committee received a report setting out the actions taken to minimise the uplift and identifies the available funding to cover the additional expenditure.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the actions which have been taken to manage homelessness over the past 6-12 months.

(2)      Agree to utilise Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and homelessness grant reserves to cover the anticipated increase in expenditure to enable the Council to meet its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

(3)      Note that a further update will be provided at the Community & Wellbeing Committee in March 2024.

The Committee received a report setting out the actions taken to minimise the uplift and identifying the available funding to cover the additional expenditure.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Private Sector Leasing Scheme (‘PSL’) Properties. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager confirmed the Council are currently leasing 11 properties from private sector landlords under the PSL scheme. He explained that the Housing team intended to encourage further landlords to join the scheme once the current team staffing resource issue has been resolved.

b)            Management of Properties. In response to a question from a Member, the Housing Operations Manager explained that a benefit to the Council in managing properties itself, through the PSL scheme, is the flexibility it affords to the Council in allowing for upscaling as and when required. The Strategic Housing Manager added that some of the Council’s temporary accommodation is provided by housing associations.

c)            Micropod housing. In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Housing and Community stated that there was to be further investigation into ascertaining suitable sites within the borough for the establishment of micropod housing.

d)            Homelessness Prevention Grant Funding. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that the Council received an allocation of Government funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant in order to ease the financial pressures on Councils dealing with the unprecedented cost of living crisis and any potential impact of homes for Ukraine guests losing their accommodation.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note the actions which have been taken to manage homelessness over the past 6-12 months.

(2)      Agree to utilise Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and homelessness grant reserves to cover the anticipated increase in expenditure to enable the Council to meet its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

(3)      Note that a further update will be provided at the Community & Wellbeing Committee in March 2024.