Purpose

 
The purpose of this report is
to seek approval for the Council to vary the Property Pool Plus
Policy for a period of six-months by invoking the discretionary
clause which allows for the use of direct lets to specific groups
of applicants. Direct lets would be enabled for homeless households
accommodated in dispersed or hotel temporary accommodation
alleviating the additional pressures on temporary accommodation
resources as a consequence of the Beech Rise and Willow Rise
emergency. Approval for the variation is required if an individual
Local Authority Property Pool Plus partner wishes to utilise such
discretion.  Where approved this must
also be published on the Property Pool Plus website.
 

Decision

The Executive Director (Regeneration and
Economic Development) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for
Regeneration and Economic Development hereby approvesthe temporary (six month)
variation to the Property Pool Plus policy to enable direct matches
to be made to homeless households to alleviate the pressure on the
Temporary Accommodation resource.

Alternative options considered

Continue waiting for households in temporary
accommodation to secure a property through Property Pool Plus to
release the dispersed accommodation for use by another household.
In turn relying on hotel accommodation to accommodate households
where temporary accommodation needs outweigh supply, creating an
unnecessary and preventable financial impact on Council
resources.