Decision details

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Housing and Communities, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 9

The report updated Members on the strategic acquisition programme to acquire more affordable temporary accommodation (TA). The purpose was to reduce the extraordinary cost pressures of meeting housing duties to place homeless households in more affordable accommodation, compared to using more expensive nightly-booked accommodation (which is subject to fluctuating and expensive rates that change during peak periods), and to secure better quality accommodation, enabling more people to remain closer to their local families and social networks.

Decision 

1)     That the progress made to date by using long-term leases and service level agreements to reduce budget pressures and improve our provision of temporary accommodation having regard to the financial implications in this report be acknowledged.

2)     That Subject to the information contained in this report and the exempt appendix, to authorise the Director for Housing and Communities to enter into two separate new 5-year service level agreements (containing a 3-year break clause) with Revival Investments Limited for the acquisition of nomination rights to 37 units of managed temporary accommodation, with one service being located at High Street, Littlehampton, and another combined service at Goring Road and George V Avenue, Worthing, to enable the councils to discharge the housing duties owed to homeless households under S188 and S193 of the Housing Act 1996.

3)     that authorisation to enter into contracts for acquisition of temporary accommodation by way of long-term leases and service level agreements will continue to be obtained using the existing delegated authorities and governance arrangements set out at paragraph 4.3 below be noted and approved.

Call In

The call-in deadline for the decision will be 5.00pm on 19 December 2023.