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<\/p>\nAn extra 31 temporary accommodation places for people without homes will be created after a council approved plans to lease empty properties.<\/p>\n
West Northamptonshire Council currently provides temporary accommodation for nearly 700 homeless residents or families.<\/p>\n
During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the authority green-lit proposals to take on two buildings at an annual rent of \u00a3249,000 to increase its offering.<\/p>\n
Reform UK’s Laura Couse, cabinet member for adult care and public health, said the decision would help move people out of the “most unsuitable forms of temporary accommodation”.<\/p>\n
“This is not just about finances, it is about dignity, stability and providing a more appropriate living environment for people at a difficult point in their lives,” she said.<\/p>\n
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The agreement to lease the two properties comes after the council approved plans for 70 temporary accomodation homes on the Claret Car Park and 38 units on a former school site off Billing Brook Road [West Northamptonshire Council]<\/p>\n
The first property the council is taking on is a HMO-style property made up of 25 one-bedroom flats, at a \u00a3184,000 rent per year.<\/p>\n
Property two, meanwhile, is made up of five two-bedroom flats and one three-bedroom flat, which will cost the council \u00a365,000 annually in rent.<\/p>\n
Expected maintenance costs will be about \u00a393,000, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n The leases will be for a minimum of 10 years and one day, although the larger HMO unit has a break clause included for halfway through the period.<\/p>\n This “sensible” approach, Couse added, provided it with “clear financial safeguards gives us stability and flexibility”.<\/p>\n Labour group leader, councillor Sally Keeble, however, raised concerns about the HMO-style property, which she said could carry a risk of damage from tenants.<\/p>\n The council acknowledged the potentials risks but said it would ensure the management of the property was “robust” and tenants were properly supported.<\/p>\n Reform UK councillor, John Slope, cabinet member for finance, also defended the plan, adding that around half of those in temporary accommodation were currently in B&Bs or nightly lets.<\/p>\n He added that this was “the most expensive way” to house people, so taking on the properties would actually result in projected savings of around \u00a3150,000 every year.<\/p>\n During the meeting it was also agreed that any new leases that did not exceed 10 years could be taken by council officers, provided costs were covered in budgets.<\/p>\n The leasing of the properties came after the council approved two new sites in Northampton offering more than 100 modular temporary accommodation homes.<\/p>\n Do you have a story suggestion for Northamptonshire? Contact us below.<\/p>\n Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and X<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this storyRelated internet links