£11.6m scheme approved to combat homelessness
A multi-million pound project to tackle homelessness with temporary accommodation and support services has been approved by North Yorkshire Council.
The £11.6m scheme will see the creation of 90 new units of temporary accommodation across the county and will focus on Scarborough which is the “greatest area of reliance”.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive met in Scarborough on Tuesday, June 18 to approve the plan which was welcomed as a “financial and moral imperative”.
Speaking at the meeting, Coun Simon Myers, member for housing, said: “Every council has seen increased pressure on temporary accommodation services and in North Yorkshire costs have risen by 400 per cent from 2020.
“At any one time in Scarborough, 40 families are in temporary accommodation at a cost of £32,850 per bed per year.”
He added: “It is particularly opportune that we are in Scarborough today because it is here that there is such considerable pressure.”
The scheme will see 30 units provided by registered providers and 60 will be bought and built by the council which could bring savings of £1.7m by 2027/28.
Coun Gareth Dadd, member for finance, said: “I want to emphasise the business
case because every penny saved is more money that can be put into frontline services.
“We want to see this delivered – it’s not a cheap project and there are people out there who can benefit and it’s our duty to do this.”
A four-year deadline has been set for constructing and acquiring the properties, including a 20-unit “place of change” supported housing
facility in Scarborough.
Leader of the authority, Coun Carl Les said: “I’d like to do a lot of it faster than the four-year deadline.”
Coun Heather Phillips told the meeting she was “looking forward to seeing it happen in the near future because housing is a major issue in Scarborough”. She added: “I’d like to see the soil broken on a brand new site very soon.”
Currently, the council has access to a ‘core offer’ of 169 units of temporary accommodation.
However, demand has outstripped supply in recent years and the number of homeless households placed in temporary accommodation has exceeded that availability.
It is reliant on B&Bs and hotel accommodation which are most utilised in Harrogate and Scarborough.
The cost of B&B accommodation is “significantly higher than all alternative forms of provision”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Myers said: “Rough sleeping is a separate and discrete part of homelessness but many, many people face homelessness.
“We will start acquiring temporary accommodation as soon as possible and in a way, it’s quite easy to deliver but we have to make sure there is also a support service.
“The purpose-built place of change in Scarborough will require more thought regarding location and planning permission, but we are determined and very keen.
“This is needed now and we have to get on with it,” he added.
The council has said it will use £7.4m from its reserves with £4m set to come from a mixture of a Homes England grant and capital and S106 receipts.
Councillors also said that following last year’s local Government reorganisation it was “much better placed” to fund the project.