Cambridge City Council

 

Record of Executive Decision

 

Local Authority Housing Fund Refugee Scheme Round 2 – Approval to deliver 2ND round humanitarian scheme accommodation through the 2022-32 new build housing programme, partly funded by Central Government

 

Decision of: Councillor Bird, Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness

 

Reference: 23/Urgency/HSC/12

 

Date of decision: 30/6/23                       

 

Date Published on website: 30/6/23

 

Decision Type: Key

 

Matter for Decision: Urgent approval to deliver 2nd round humanitarian scheme accommodation through the 22-32 new build housing programme, partly funded by the department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

 

Why the Decision had to be made (and any alternative options):See below.

 

The Executive Councillor’s decision:

 

2.1.   Delegate Authority to the Section 151 Officer to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to allow for the Round 2 payment of allocated funding to the Council.

 

2.2.   Approve that the delivery of accommodation to cater for recent humanitarian schemes identified within this second round of LAHF funding be delivered as part of the Councils 2022-2032 New Build Housing Programme.

 

2.3.   Approve that an indicative budget of £1,980,000 be drawn down in 2023/24, from the sum already ear-marked and approved for investment in new homes, to cover the costs associated with delivering 4 homes to serve as longer term accommodation catering for the eligible cohort as defined in 3.2 and to recognise grant funding of £840,000 towards this expenditure. Following the meeting of this need the properties delivered will become general needs housing held within council stock.

 

2.4.   Authorise the Assistant Director (Assets and Property) to approve the purchase of open market properties into council stock to serve as housing for the eligible cohort as defined in 3.2, subject to consultation with the Director of Communities and the Chief Financial Officer.

 

Reason for the decision: The date for formalising the agreement and entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with DLUHC falls between committee cycles and cannot wait for the next Housing Scrutiny Committee date in September 2023. As detailed further in Appendix A.

 

Scrutiny Consideration: The Chair and spokes of the Housing Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

 

Report: Document 230623Urgent Decision - Local Authority Housing Fund Refugee Scheme Round 2 - Cambridge Council

 

Conflict of interest: None.

 

Comments: The Chair, Opposition Spokes Councillors and the Vice-Chair Tenant Leasehold Representative all supported the decision.

 

Part 4C section 6.1 of the Councils Constitution, permits decisions to be taken which are outside of the budget framework if the decision is:

o   a matter of urgency (this is correct)

o   it is not practical to convene a quorate meeting of the Council, (this is correct); and

o   the Chair of the Housing Scrutiny Committee agrees the matter is of urgency (the Chair agreed).

 

Given the deadline for delivery and the requirement to ensure adequate time to allow completion of property acquisitions this approval does not fit within the timeframes for a full council decision on 20 July 2023, or the Housing Scrutiny Committee meeting set for 19 September 2023.

 

The decision will be reported back to the Housing Scrutiny Committee at the next meeting in September 2023.