Purpose

The Authority has been successful in gaining funding through round four of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This fund provides capital finance to local authorities across England for the acquisition of temporary accommodation for households facing homelessness, and suitable housing for families supported through Afghan resettlement schemes.

The grant funding received by the Authority provides the opportunity to provide an additional four homes for the above groups, to be acquired from the open market. This report proposes part use of the Authority’s allocation of the LAHF, to purchase a property in North Tyneside.

As the purchase price of the property is less than £0.500m, the Director of Regeneration and Economic Development can approve the purchase of the property under RED80 of the Officer Delegation Scheme, in consultation with the Head of Law, Director of Resources, the Elected Mayor, the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development and the Cabinet Member for Housing.