Purpose

To approve the freehold
acquisition of a two bed house in Lichfield for the sale price of
£265,000, with a further £6,000 set aside for
associated legal costs and repair/maintenance works.

Decision

The Leader approved the freehold acquisition
of a two bed house in Lichfield for the sale price of
£265,000, with a further £6,000 set aside for
associated legal costs and repair/maintenance works.
 
The Leader noted that this purchase will see
the total number of properties purchased with the £2m to two,
leaving approximately six further purchases to be made.
 
The Leader noted that the council will work
with Homes England ongoing to determine whether any external
funding is available to contribute to the purchase and delivery of
this accommodation unit. Should funding be available, any
underspend of capital monies to fund this property will be
maintained in the capital budget for further purchases.

Reasons for the decision

There is a limited supply of temporary
accommodation and social rented housing units in the district. As a
result, oftentimes families and individuals are placed in bed and
breakfast accommodation with limited facilities outside of the
bedroom, making it unsuitable for long-term placements.
 
Last year, the council spent approximately
£191,000 on temporary accommodation (the exact amount of this
may differ) Delivering approximately eight new units of temporary
accommodation will help to provide more suitable homes to local
people facing housing crisis, ensure that rent paid is reinvested
into quality temporary accommodation and reduce the council’s
overall spend 
 
The team’s work will be focused on
purchasing and refurbishing existing properties, which the council
has identified is the swiftest and most efficient way to deliver
much-needed homes in the locations where people need them most.
This will ensure a swift turnaround of properties and maximise our
ability to provide immediate assistance to those in need.
 
The council’s wholly owned trading
company, Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services (LWMTS), will also
provide property management support and the tenants will be
supported by our housing team.
 
The council will be purchasing properties in
key locations, including Lichfield City, Burntwood, Fazeley and
Armitage with Handsacre, to provide
residents with easy access to shops, transport, and local
services
 
When choosing properties, the team focuses on
properties that are near to:
•               
Public transport.
•               
Supermarkets offering good value products.
•               
Schools.
•               
Health centres.
•               
Community facilities
 
Research with individuals who need to move
into temporary accommodation has indicated they need easy access to
all of the above. An equalities impact assessment has been carried
out on our approach to property selection and purchase.

Alternative options considered

There were no other alternative options
given.