Purpose

1.1       Cabinet agreed to
invest £2,157,000 of capital reserves, generated from
commuted sums and right to buy receipts held by the council into
the provision of temporary accommodation/rough sleeper housing
pathway scheme units on 9 April 2024, subject to an options
appraisal.
1.2       The options
appraisal has been completed and indicated the most effective way
to physically deliver temporary accommodation is to purchase
existing built properties and refurbish them utilising some of the
capital sums.
1.3       The Cabinet Member
for Housing the Local Plan then made the decision to commence the
investment of £2,157,000 of capital reserves, generated from
commuted sums and right to buy receipts, into the provision of
temporary accommodation across the district, primarily through the
purchase and refurbishment of existing built properties following
the completion of an options appraisal as required by Cabinet on 9
April 2024, subject to the cost of acquisition and operating costs
being within approved budgets – view decision. Approximately
11 units will be purchased.
1.4       The council’s
wholly owned trading company, Lichfield West Midlands Traded
Services (LWMTS), is leading on the work to identify and procure
accommodation units in line with the options appraisal. Each
property procurement requires a Cabinet Member decision.
1.5       This report proposes
the procurement of the 4th unit of the overall approximately 11
units in line with the decisions made by Cabinet on 9 April 2024.
This procurement will take the total number of units procured as
part of this project up to 1.

Decision

2.1       To approve the
freehold acquisition of a 2 bed house in Armitage for the sale
price of £ 199,000  See Appendix 1
(confidential) for property information.
2.2       To note that the
council will work with Homes England ongoing to determine whether
any external funding is available to contribute to the purchase and
delivery of this accommodation unit. Should funding be available,
any underspend of capital monies to fund this property will be
maintained in the capital budget for further purchases.