Issue - meetings

Cabinet, at its meeting on 28 June 2024, considered a report on the additional grant funding made available under Local Authority Housing Fund 3 (LAHF 3) to support the provision of housing for the council’s refugee accommodation programme building on previous rounds which the council has taken advantage of.

The Cabinet agenda circulated to all members includes the relevant report.

Cabinet resolved toaccept the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant of£747,000 (indicative Local Authority Housing Fund 3 allocation) to deliver four homes that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 prospectus, and to authorise the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which sets out the understanding between both parties for the use of funding.

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: To add £1.644 million to the capital programme, part funded by Local Authority Housing Fund 3 funding of £747,000 to purchase four homes under the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) scheme.

To receive the report from the head of finance.

To allow the council to accept additional grant funding which has been made available under the latest round of Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) funding. This will further support the provision of housing for the council’s refugee accommodation programme, building on previous rounds which the council has taken advantage of.

Recommendations: for cabinet:

(a)      To accept the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant of £747,000 (indicative Local Authority Housing Fund 3 allocation) to deliver four homes that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 prospectus, and to authorise the head of finance in consultation with the chief executive or their nominated officer to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which sets out the understanding between both parties for the use of funding.

(b)      to recommend to Council to add £1.644 million to the capital programme, part funded by Local Authority Housing Fund 3 funding of £747,000 to purchase four homes under this scheme.

Cabinet received the Local Authority Housing Fund: Round 3 report, from the head of finance. The report sought agreement from Cabinet to allow the Council to accept additional grant funding which had been made available from the latest round of Local Authority Housing Fund funding.

The Cabinet member for finance and property, Councillor Andrew Crawford, presented the report and highlighted that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities introduced a partial grant for the purchase of local authority housing and that the Council had participated in both previous funding rounds. The Cabinet member indicated that officers had submitted validation for the third round of funding which would be used for the purchase of four homes and recommended that Cabinet accept the grant.

Members discussed the Local Authority Housing Fund and noted that additional funding was available in the scheme for the purchasing of new houses rather than existing ones. In addition, on a question about if the purchasing of these homes would reduce the Councils revenue expenditure in the long term, the Cabinet member indicated that this would be expected as it would be better to house residents in purchased houses rather than hotels.

Cabinet, satisfied with the report, agreed to accept the additional Local Authority Housing Fund funding and recommend that Council approve the additional funding for the capital programme to purchase four additional homes under the scheme. 

RESOLVED:

(a)      To accept the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ grant of £747,000 (indicative Local Authority Housing Fund 3 allocation) to deliver four homes that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 prospectus, and to authorise the head of finance in consultation with the chief executive or their nominated officer to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which sets out the understanding between both parties for the use of funding.

(b)      to recommend to Council to add £1.644 million to the capital programme, part funded by Local Authority Housing Fund 3 funding of £747,000 to purchase four homes under this scheme