Cabinet considered the report of the interim head of development, regeneration and housing. This set out an approach to provide temporary housing accommodation for the period 2017 to 2022. To meet demand, the report proposed initially purchasing two properties in Didcot.
Scrutiny Committee had welcomed the proposal.
Cabinet considered the options:
1. Meeting the temporary accommodation demand through local hotels.
2. Purchasing accommodation to meet demand, initially buying two properties in Didcot.
Officers had predicted a demand for temporary accommodation. Cabinet considered that if it did not provide for an increased demand, there was a risk that the cost of housing households in hotels would increase significantly. By purchasing some property to provide temporary accommodation, the council could save on hotel accommodation costs. These properties would also generate a rental income and could provide a return on investment as capital assets. Therefore, Cabinet preferred option 2: buying two properties in Didcot to meet temporary accommodation demand.
RESOLVED:
(a) to approve the approach to temporary housing accommodation provision as set out in the report of the interim head of development, regeneration and housing; and
RECOMMENDED: to Council
(b) to make a supplementary estimate of up to £1,000,000 in 2018/19 for the purchase of temporary housing accommodation and add the temporary housing accommodation scheme to the provisional capital programme.