Issue - meetings

Report CS12058

The Executive briefly discussed a report on an Invest to Save initiative to use Bellegrove, a former residential home, as temporary accommodation to enable the Council to meet its statutory housing duties and to assist towards reducing the significant costs incurred by the Council as a result of the increased use of nightly paid accommodation.  The bid for funding was to cover the cost of the refurbishment work required to the property to bring it up to a suitable letting standard and other associated costs.  It was proposed that the existing contractor with the Council, Orchard & Shipman, be used to oversee the planning and refurbishment process and then to lease and manage the property on the Council’s behalf. In response to a query from Councillor Morgan the Finance Director confirmed that the future savings achieved by the project would be paid back to the Invest to Save fund.

RESOLVED that approval be given for –

1)  the use of Bellegrove as temporary accommodation to meet the Council’s statutory housing obligations under the homelessness legislation;

2)  the invest-to-save bid, as previously approved by the Members Strategic Asset Management Group,  for the refurbishment and associated fees to bring Bellegrove to a suitable standard for this purpose; and

3)  the use of Orchard & Shipman to oversee the project through the planning and refurbishment process, and then to lease and manage Bellegrove as temporary accommodation under the existing leasing scheme agreement which was approved by the Executive in December 2010.