Decision details

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Community Development seeking approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for £1.34M from the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF). This funding will contribute towards the acquisition of an additional 11 affordable homes to provide accommodation for 11 households from the Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes.

Councillor Simon Myers introduced the report and provided an overview of the need for the additional homes proposed for acquisition.  He confirmed the Authority had a moral and social obligation to provide suitable housing the Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes, whilst at the same time increasing the Authority’s housing stock.  He noted that the properties would be retro-fitted to make them as carbon neutral as possible.

Councillor Janet Sanderson suggested the needs of families with young children needed taking account of when procuring additional Local Authority housing stock.

Councillor Carl Les welcomed the £1.34M Local Authority Housing funding and noted that the Authority’s financial contribution to the purchase of the properties would be greater.

Andrew Rowe, Assistant Director for Housing assured the Executive that the proposal was deliverable and it was

Resolved – That:

A Memorandum of Understanding be entered in to with Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to accept grant funding of £1.34M from the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF), to help pay for the acquisition of additional accommodation for 11 households from the Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes.