Plans to provide twenty-two homes for Afghan and Ukraine refugees and safeguard the properties for future affordable housing use are being considered by Bath & North East Somerset Council.

Last November the Government announced a Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) to ensure Afghan and Ukraine households who have arrived in the UK through specified resettlement and relocation schemes are provided with safe and suitable long-term accommodation. 

At March’s Full Council meeting, councillors agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLHUC), to provide 22 units of accommodation in return for £3.04m of funding.  

Now a Single Member Decision report recommending approval to secure the 22 units has gone before Councillor Matt McCabe, Cabinet Member for Built Environment and Sustainable Development.

If approved the properties would be provided through a combination of repurposing and refurbishment of existing stock and the open market acquisition of suitable properties. 

The properties would be delivered in partnership with Aequus, the council’s wholly-owned development company at cost and would be safeguarded using a  restrictive covenant requiring that the council hold the properties solely for affordable housing.   

Councillor McCabe said: “There is a very big need for affordable housing in Bath and North East Somerset. Following the agreement in March to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with DLUHC, we are now in a position to secure these much-needed affordable homes. The intention of accepting the government funding is to provide short-term accommodation for families displaced by war but also provide a long-term legacy of more affordable housing in Bath and North East Somerset. I’ll be considering this report carefully before making a decision.”

The report says the Government funding aims to support areas which have generously welcomed substantial numbers of Ukrainian refugees so that they are not disadvantaged by increased pressures from these arrivals on the existing housing and homelessness systems.  

The central government funding aims to mitigate the expected increased pressures on local authority homelessness and social housing resources as sponsorship, family placements and bridging accommodation arrangements come to an end.  This would also create accommodation that as far as possible allows for the future conversion of housing units to support wider local authority housing and homelessness responsibilities to UK nationals.

It the proposal is approved the properties would be let by Aequus on Assured Shorthold Tenancies for a minimum duration of six months per tenancy at the relevant Local Housing Allowance Rate, with the Council nominating households.

The programme is expected to be revenue-neutral in operation with housing management, maintenance and repair services being funded through rental income.

You can read the single member decision report on the forward plan.