Meeting

The Acquisition of Temporary Housing report by the Director for Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services was omitted from the Forward Plan covering 10 January 2025 to 10 April 2025.  The Chair of the City Council's Scrutiny Management Panel has been notified and a public notice published.

Purpose of Report

To seek approval from the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness to acquire a minimum of 200 properties for use as Temporary Accommodation in 2025/26 and 2026/27 (Homes for Temporary Accommodation Project).

To seek approval for capital expenditure of £31.28m to acquire and refurbish the 200 properties to be held in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness:

1.    Approves HRA Capital Expenditure of £31.28m, to deliver a minimum of 200 units, phased £15.64m in 2025/26 and £15.64m in 2026/27.

2.    Delegates authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources (S151 Officer), to agree the use of HRA unsupported borrowing to support each of these acquisitions based on an individual Financial Appraisal of estimated income and expenditure.

3.    Notes that a General Fund contribution of up to £1.87m from the MTRS Reserve has been approved by the S151 Officer to ensure the HRA does not incur a negative cash flow in the first 10 years after acquisition.

4.    Delegates to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to enter contracts to support the acquisitions.

5.    Requests housing cabinet reports to be presented mid-year and end of year to report and update on the progress of the Homes for Temporary Accommodation Project.

Purpose of Report

The Council Housing Repairs & Maintenance Revenue Budget for 2025/26 was approved within the Council Housing Budget 2025/26 (including rent setting) report at the Housing and Tackling Homelessness Cabinet Member decision meeting on 22nd January 2025.

The Council Housing Repairs and Maintenance Capital Budget (Major Repairs Dwellings) for 2025/26 was approved within the Portsmouth City Council - Budget & Council Tax 2025/26, Medium Term Budget Forecast 2026/27 to 2028/29 and Capital Strategy 2025/26 to 2034/35 report by the City Council on 25th February 2025.  The HRA Assets (Non-Dwelling) Capital Budget was approved at the same meeting.

The purpose of this report is to inform Members of the spending proposed for the financial year 2025/26 for revenue and capital funded maintenance and improvement programmes for the City Council's retained housing stock (Portsmouth Homes) together with the HRA Assets (Non-Dwelling) capital scheme (including Housing IT Business Software) and to seek approval to incur expenditure in respect of the capital schemes and rolling programmes.

The report will also update the Cabinet Member on the year end position on the delivery of the 2024/25 Repairs & Maintenance programmes, the forecast spend against the approved budget, how the budget allocation supports improvement work linked to the Regulatory Judgement by the Regulator of Social Housing and pressures impacting the Repairs and Maintenance Service.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness:

1.    Notes the allocation of finance for the funding of the Revenue Budgets for repairs and maintenance of dwellings and non-dwellings listed in Appendix A.

2.    Approves the allocation of capital budgets listed in Appendix B and Appendix C for 2025/26, and the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services be authorised to seek approval from the Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151 Officer) under Financial Rules, Section B11, to proceed with schemes within the sums allocated.

3.    Notes the Building Safety Remediation programme listed in Appendix D that includes works over future years and that approval for future years capital expenditure will be sought via the Council Housing Maintenance and Improvements (including non-dwelling) Budget Allocation report being brought in March of each year.

4.    Notes the allocation of funding to support improvement measures in relation to the Regulatory Judgement by the Regulator of Social Housing.

5.    Notes the year end position and progress of the 2024/25 Repairs and Maintenance budget plan and capital spend.

6.    Requests that a mid-year report is brought to provide an update as to in year revenue expenditure and progress of the HRA capital programme, including the Building Safety Remediation programme.