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Issue - meetings
Update on Temporary Accommodation
Meeting: 01/10/2018 - Cabinet (Item 106)
106 Update on Temporary Accommodation PDF 186 KB
Minutes:
Andrew Palmer, Assistant Director, Housing and Built Environment presented a report, with an update on temporary accommodation. The purpose of the repot was to advise Cabinet on the latest position with regards to homelessness pressures and its impact upon the demand and supply of temporary accommodation in the town.
It was stated that the council had taken steps to increase temporary accommodation supply to meet the increasing demand. However it was recognised that only by increasing the supply of longer term housing solutions could the pressure be reduced. Temporary accommodation was both costly to the Council and was likely to impact negatively upon those accommodated in it for any length of time, particularly those more vulnerable households.
It was stated that the impact of reductions in public sector services and welfare reforms together with rising accommodation costs were making it difficult for people to maintain and resolve their housing difficiites.t. The report stated that the total cost of temporary accommodation at the end of 2017/18 was £926,080. The projected year-end spend for 2018/19 is £960,000, £156,000 over the original budget. This has resulted in a projected overspend on the homelessness budget of £98,947.
This overspend will be partially offset by a contingency of £39,000 within the flexible homelessness support grant budget for 2018/19.
Councillor Batsford proposed approval of the recommendations which was seconded by Councillor Forward
RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1. To acknowledge the trends in demand and supply of temporary accommodation in the town and note efforts to increase the supply of units and manage the cost to the council
2. To agree the purchase of a property for use as temporary accommodation, as set out in part II of this report.
3. That subject to the successful acquisition of the initial temporary accommodation unit referred to above, to amend the council’s capital programme to an amount referred to in the part 2 report, for the purchase of further additional temporary accommodation units
4. To delegate authority to the Assistant Director, Housing and Built Environment to complete the further purchases of additional units of temporary accommodation in line with the council’s capital programme.
5. That a supplementary budget as referred to in the part 2 report is allocated to cover a projected overspend on the homelessness budget in 2018/19, resulting from the increased use and cost of temporary accommodationReasons for these recommendations:
Hastings has seen a significant increase in demand for temporary accommodation, in line with broader national and regional trends. This report updates Cabinet on options to manage the supply and cost of temporary accommodation, as well as opportunities to reduce its use in the long term.
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