Purpose

The housing market is grappling with critical
issues of national importance. House prices have risen in recent
years, private sector rent levels are at a record high nationally
and there is growing disparity between Local Housing Allowance
rates and actual rent prices is forcing non-working tenants and
low-income households out of the housing market.

This, in turn, has led to an overwhelming demand for council
housing. However, council housing accounts for less than a fifth of
the housing stock in the city, resulting in a severe imbalance
between supply and demand.

To compound these issues, the cost-of-living crisis and the
aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic have placed an unprecedented
burden on the Home Options Service based in St Leger Homes
Ltd.

In 2022, an officer decision record was signed allocating extra
one-off funding of £1,001,457 (Ref;
2022/24/PHRoughSleepergrant) to St Leger Homes. A “Journey to
Excellence” improvement programme was created as a result of
the funding, but this funding has now ceased, and external
pressures are still affecting the service through the number of
people asking for housing assistance.

This funding is to be used for additional staffing and resources
required to combat current challenges and continue the improvement
work under the “Journey to Excellence”
programme.

Content

To approve the payment of £112k to St.
Leger Homes of Doncaster for the Home Options and Homelessness
Services from the Service Transformation Fund Reserve for
2023/24.