Purpose

To
seek approval to convert existing premises to temporary
accommodation and acquire additional properties to meet temporary
needs.

Content

It was
RESOLVED: -
 
1.1         
That Cabinet approved the creation of a portfolio
of Temporary Accommodation properties within the General Fund to
serve growing need,

 
1.2         
That Cabinet approved the appropriation at market
value of the property identified in appendix B of the report from
the HRA to the GF for use as Temporary Accommodation, subject to
consent from the Secretary of State.

 
1.3         
That Cabinet approved the drawdown of funds
within the capital ambitions programme budget to deliver Temporary
Accommodation properties.

 
1.4         
Thats delegated authority be given to the
Director of Housing and Director of Property, Development &
Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing
and Property to create a portfolio of properties through
acquisition, conversion, and development in the General Fund for
Temporary Accommodation purposes in accordance with the criteria
set out at paragraph 2.3 and Appendix A of the
report.

 
1.5         
That delegated authority be given to the Director
of Housing and Director of Property, Development & Regeneration
in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property
to negotiate, enter
into contracts including the appointment of contractors and
consultants to enable the creation of a portfolio properties for
temporary accommodation purposes.
 
 
REASON FOR
DECISION
 
To
deliver fit for purpose Temporary Accommodation in an effective and
efficient way to meet the growing needs for Temporary Accommodation
across the District.
 
Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected:
 
Option 1: Continued reliance on Bed & Breakfast and
commercial hotel accommodation.
 
This
option reflected the current default position. However, it is
increasingly untenable due to spiralling costs, with Mid Suffolk
spending over £33,547 per month on TA, some of which was not
recoverable through Housing Benefit. This model often placed
households out of district, disrupted education and employment, and
could fail to meet acceptable standards. Continued reliance would
result in escalating financial pressure on the General Fund, while
delivering poor outcomes for families.
Option 2: Utilise existing Housing Revenue Account (HRA)
properties for TA use.
 
Some
HRA homes had been used as a short-term measure to relieve TA
pressures. While this could help mitigate immediate demand and be
appropriate in some circumstances, it is not a viable long-term
strategy for addressing temporary housing needs Using social rent
properties for TA could displace households on the housing
register, distort stock management, and create legal and financial
complexity by cross-subsidising between accounts. It also
undermined the purpose of HRA-held assets and risks breaching
housing finance regulations if scaled. Therefore, this option had
been discounted as a long-term strategy
 
 
Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None
Any Dispensation Granted: None