Decision details

To purchase up to 170 new homes for use as Temporary Accommodation.

Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  That the Council progresses with a programme to acquire or develop up to 170 homes for use as temporary accommodation;

2.  To recommend to Full Council, the required general fund capital budget of £38.762m as part of the annual budget setting process across the financial years 2025/26 and 2026/27;

3.  A 6 monthly update on the delivery of the programme is provided to Cabinet;

4.  Letting of these homes will be in accordance with the Council’s Temporary Accommodation Policy, approved by Cabinet in July 2024.

TDC has a legal duty in respect of providing temporary accommodation and we are increasing our provision of council-owned temporary accommodation (TA), thus reducing the amount spent by the authority on TA. It is not only the cost of accommodation but the social value impacts on those households who are in TA and outside of their schools, work and support networks.

The Council could choose not to purchase the homes. However, this would represent a missed opportunity at a time when the Council has circa 300 households in temporary accommodation.

Additionally, not taking these homes would mean that the Council is at financial risk from paying out for nightly-paid accommodation providers. These costs are only expected to increase.