Issue - meetings

      Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Military-Civilian Integration, Heritage, Arts, Tourism, Health and Wellbeing presented a report which provided an update on the recent and future intended activity of house acquisitions by the Council to deliver on a wide range of service needs.

The Cabinet noted that the Council are in the process of acquiring homes through a number of Government programmes. With funding of £10m being set aside in reserves for the acquisitions it was expected that the programme would deliver in the region of 250 homes to support long term service need for Wiltshire residents as well as delivering the Counties ongoing commitment to homing Ukrainian and Afghan families.

Cllr Phil Alford, Cabinet Member for Housing, Strategic Assets and Asset Transfers welcomed the report and the ability to support service needs.  

Cllr Pip Ridout, Chair of the Financial Planning Task Group, confirmed that the report had been considered by the Task Group at its meeting on 7 July 2023. The Task Group were content with the responses received to questions asked, and also noted that there were a number of unknown areas. The Leader commented on the work of the Cabinet Shareholder Group in asking questions of Stone Circle at public meetings that Councillors were welcome to attend. Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee highlighted the possible need for the Management Committee to consider the level of scrutiny provided by Cabinet via regular reports from the Shareholder Group and this could be added to the Management Committee Forward Work Plan.

Cllr Brian Mathew welcomed the proposals set out in the report. In addition, he highlighted the plight of refugees arriving at the UK borders and their accommodation needs. The Leader advised Members against combining the needs of different people groups when providing for their accommodation needs, especially as could be alternative funding streams available from the Government.   

Resolved:

a)    To note the activity being undertaken by the Council to date in acquiring houses through the LAHF programme, and the addition of the £4.012m Government Grant to the HRA Build Programme under the Section 151 officer’s delegated powers.

b)    To approve that the governance of housing acquisitions will be through individual business cases approved by the Corporate Director Resources & Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance.

c)    To recommend to Full Council to approve the addition to the capital programme of £40m, funded through £10m reserves and £30m debt, to enable the Council to acquire housing for long term investment to deliver service solutions.

Reasons for Decision:

To report on the Councils recent and future activity of housing acquisition funded through Government Grant and to seek the recommend to Full Council the necessary approvals to add those funds and the leveraged funds to the Capital Programme.