Agenda item - Homeless Move On Accommodation

Report of the Executive Director Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing (copy attached)

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

1.    Approved that the land comprising the former Hollingbury Library site is appropriated for planning purposes and that the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing be authorised to appropriate the site for housing once the development is complete.

2.    Approved the transfer of the land & buildings at the former Hollingbury Library site from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account for £0.365m, being the best consideration reasonably obtainable.

3.    Approve that the proceeds are ring-fenced to support the library service in line with the disposal that received consent at Policy Resources and Growth Committee on 9 June 2016.

4.    Approved a budget of £0.365m financed by HRA borrowing and Homes England Funding to form part of the HRA capital programme for 2018/19.

113.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing, which sought approval for the proposed development and the appropriation of the land comprising the former Hollingbury Library and buildings, initially for planning purposes and once the development has been completed for housing purposes.

113.2  Councillor Wealls said the majority of the tenant groups who would benefit from this accommodation were those who were ‘intentionally homeless’, and therefore the obligation to house them sat within Health & Adult Social Care and Children Families & Learning, and therefore it should be the General Fund which paid for the support, and asked if this was therefore a misuse of HRA funds. The Head of Housing Strategy Property & Investment said that there was £150k funding from Social Care to provide the necessary support and those that were moving on from existing hostel accommodation would have support provided by the General Fund.  HRA would provide funding for the accommodation and should the scheme revert to another usage, it could become Housing General Fund accommodation.

113.3  Councillor Janio asked when the £750k would be received. The Head of Housing Strategy Property & Investment said that the money would be provided in three tranches. The first tranche would be on acquisition (40%), with the others coming at start on site and completion. Councillor Janio suggested therefore that 40% of the £750k should be allocated, and was advised that this report sought agreement for HRA funding to acquire the site and then a final viable scheme will come forward to the March 2019 Housing and New Homes Committee for their consideration.

113.4  RESOLVED: That the Committee –

1.    Approved that the land comprising the former Hollingbury Library site is appropriated for planning purposes and that the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing be authorised to appropriate the site for housing once the development is complete.

2.    Approved the transfer of the land & buildings at the former Hollingbury Library site from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account for £0.365m, being the best consideration reasonably obtainable.

3.    Approve that the proceeds are ring-fenced to support the library service in line with the disposal that received consent at Policy Resources and Growth Committee on 9 June 2016.

4.    Approved a budget of £0.365m financed by HRA borrowing and Homes England Funding to form part of the HRA capital programme for 2018/19.