To consider recommendations in the confidential report
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 11: A Local Response to the National Housing Crisis.
Resolved:
1. Cabinet approves the funding and delegations as set out in the submitted report, to support a local response to the national housing crisis.
2. Cabinet approves, in principle and delegates to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place), in consultation with the Directors of Legal and Finance, and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio holder for Housing and Licensing, for an additional revenue allocation of £2.162m to provide a dedicated response and local investment to respond to the housing crisis; broken down as follows:
a. To make the existing 13.5 FTE fixed term grant funded posts within the Housing Options Service permanent to ensure stability and staff retention within the Services. Underwriting subject to external grant provision / extension £0.524m
b. To improve customer service capacity in Access Oldham and ensure residents are supported by reducing waiting times for face-to-face appointments, and on the phone lines £0.24m.
c. To enter into a long term (25 year) leasing agreement to provide access to 47 accommodation units for Temporary Accommodation (TA) provision through a private landlord, Helping Hands. Included within the lease is a lease yield of 7.5% payable over the 25 years with the rental costs being funded from Local Housing Allowance.
d. To procure and enter into a contract with an external provider to deliver the Out of Hours Emergency Homelessness Support Service for a period of 12 months. Anticipated maximum cost to the Council £0.130m per annum.
e. To accelerate housing delivery through the recruitment of a dedicated team £0.208m and funding for feasibility / business case development work £0.250m.
f. To improve housing standards through dedicated and proactive enforcement £0.095m.
g. To bring on-line an additional 7-bed unit using the e-bed model as an additional temporary accommodation for rough sleepers at a total cost of £0.146m which will be fully funded from the Asylum Dispersal Grant.
h. To agree the allocation of £0.715m for the use of temporary accommodation properties.
3. Cabinet approves in principle and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) in consultation with the Directors of Legal and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio holder for Housing and Licensing for an additional £1m investment to provide a local response to the housing challenges will be reviewed during the first quarter of the 2024/25, with any drawdown on the additional resources reported to Cabinet in the 2024/25 Quarter 1 Revenue & Capital Monitoring Report.
4. Cabinet approves in principle and delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) in consultation with the Directors of Legal and Finance, and the Leader of the Council/Portfolio holder for Reform and Regeneration and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio holder for Housing and Licensing to draw down from the Flexible Housing Fund capital allocation with the Creating a Better Place Capital Programme to a maximum value of capital investment of £10m as follows:
a. To purchase/acquire properties for conversion to TA units / Children’s care homes as needed.
b. To purchase/acquire empty properties across the borough and bring them back into use as socially affordable homes.
c. To accelerate the development and delivery of social house building on Council land.
d. To work with partners to accelerate the development and delivery of social house building where viability is proven to be a challenge.
5. Approval in principle to accelerate property acquisition using Compulsory Purchase Powers with delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) for details and requirements as needed, in consultation with the Directors of Economy, Legal and Finance, and the Leader of the Council/Portfolio holder for Reform and Regeneration and the Deputy Leader/Portfolio holder for Housing and Licensing.