Content

To purchase the following property utilising
LAHF grant:
 
-4 Alberta Road, Worthing, BN13 2SQ (4-bed
property) - £350,000

Reasons for the decision

The Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) is a
£500m capital grant fund, launched in December 2022, to
support local authorities in England to provide housing for those
displaced by war and conflict, in particular in response to the
Afghan and Ukraine humanitarian schemes which offered a safe and
legal entry route to those fleeing conflict.
 
Refugees were identified as one of five
priority groups in Worthing District Council’s (draft)
Housing Needs Assessment (September 2023).
 
Worthing Borough Council has been allocated
£809,083 from the LAHF which is a government fund
specifically for the provision of rented housing for refugees.
 
Worthing’s Housing Team will work with
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) colleagues to allocate the
properties to those who are eligible, homeless or at risk of
homelessness and who currently live in unsuitable temporary
arrangements. WSCC also has funding to meet costs associated with
move-on and set up of a home as well as assist with rent and rent
in advance if needed and there would be no additional financial
burden to the council.
 
A report setting out the funding allocation
and the budget for delivery of the six homes under the LAHF
programme was approved by Worthing JSSC on 5th December 2023.
Authority was delegated to the Assistant Director for Housing and
Homelessness Prevention to approve the purchase of the properties
identified.
 
4 Alberta Road is a freehold house. A full
building survey has been undertaken and a report on title has been
produced, stating the title is good. Colleagues from Housing and
Private Sector Housing have also reviewed and support the
purchase.

Alternative options considered

Whilst there is provision in the fund for
refurbishing existing council-owned properties, Worthing does not
own any permanent housing stock. Therefore acquisition, which is
the overall aim of the fund, is the only option for spending the
fund.
 
The option to do nothing and hand back the
funding allocation was considered however this would have meant a
failure to secure much needed homes, and it was demonstrated that
the amount of grant available allowed these to be delivered with no
additional burden on the Council’s budget.