Councillors back plans to help vulnerable people across Lichfield
Leaders at Lichfield District Council have backed plans to spend nearly £1m more to intervene and invest in the current under provision of temporary accommodation across the district.
At any one time there are 32 local individuals and families living in temporary accommodation across Lichfield district. Due to the current lack of temporary accommodation many individuals and families will be placed in a bed and breakfast, which is often outside the district and away from support networks.
Now the council has pledged to spend £979,000 which takes the budget to £2,157,000 for providing temporary accommodation. Currently the authority spends approximately £80,000 on this emergency accommodation to support local residents.
The money will be financed from commuted sums and right to buy receipts. Commuted sums are paid by developers for affordable housing to be delivered off-site. Currently the council has over £1.8million in commuted sums.
The council has already spent £360,000 to support the redevelopment of five city centre affordable housing units in Bore Street which will be operational by the end of 2024. The units will be used to help individuals and couples move from bed and breakfasts and temporary accommodation into secure housing.
The leader of Lichfield District Council councillor Doug Pullen said: “It’s absolutely right that we are using money from developers to make a significant investment in providing suitable accommodation for any Lichfield District resident who is facing homelessness.”
