Purpose

The County Council is currently
supporting family groups in bridging(temporary)
accommodation.  Hotel’s, procured
by the Home Office, have been used. The Home Office has taken the
decision to no longer use hotels for this purpose and so the use of
this facility will cease by 31 August 2023. 
 
The County Council has been
responsible for the wrap-around support services for the families
and is now seeking to secure permanent accommodation. However, it
is likely to be necessary to use temporary accommodation whilst the
work to secure long term tenancies is undertaken.
 
It is proposed to secure
multiple temporary accommodation options, that can accommodate both
the Afghan families and serve the needs of the Ukrainian refugee
families, who are already needing to be placed in temporary
accommodation. By entering into agreements with multiple suppliers,
the Council can offer a longer-term stay.
 
This report seeks approval from
the Assistant Director (Communities) to award multiple contracts to
housing providers to a value of up to £3m.  The funding has been provided to the Council from
central Government.
 
Due to the need for this matter
to be determined as soon as possible, the decision maker has secured agreement from the
appropriate Scrutiny Chairman for this decision to be taken without prior notice
in the Forward Plan of key decisions (as per the West Sussex County
Council Constitution - Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.57
(Regulation 11), because delay would prejudice the need for the
council to comply with the new requirements of the Home
Office.  This decision is urgent to
ensure the availability of accommodation to meet the needs of those
presenting for support in situations of urgency.
 

Decision

The Assistant Director
(Communities) with the agreement of the Director of Law and
Assurance and the Chairman of the Communities, Highways and
Environment Scrutiny Committee (as per the County Council’s
Constitution - Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.57 (Regulation
11),
has approved the direct award of multiple
short-term contracts to accommodation suppliers to provide a
sufficient level of contingency accommodation for participants in
the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and families evacuated from
Afghanistan up to the end of August 2024. The value of the
contracts will be no greater than £3m.