Issue - meetings

In supporting the proposals, Cabinet agreed that this was a step in the right direction to remove the sigma of living in temporary accommodation and obtaining better accommodation for residents which would allow family members to stay close to their support network.

1.         That approval be granted for £900,000 to be invested from the Temporary Accommodation Earmarked Reserve to secure 300 additional private rented sector properties (Direct Lets) over the next two years.

2.         That approval be granted for the service to pilot a dedicated PRS team for six months. The team will work intensively with different cohorts and trial different support offers so as to build the capacity of the service to encourage more households to accept Direct Let offers.

3.         That approval be granted to change the Housing Allocation Scheme to enable officers to backdate a household’s start date on the register to the date of the original Homelessness Duty acceptance, when households are subsequently accepted as Homeless within three years of having accepted an offer of a Direct Let. This change can be made by Cabinet Member authority.

4.         That Cabinet notes the risk to the General Fund of up to £9.3 million over the next four years which arises solely from reductions in Government grants.