Homes for Afghan and Ukrainian families on Executive agenda

09 February 2023

A report at next week’s meeting of North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive will see members discussing acquiring 30 homes for people and families who have settled in the area through either the Afghan Resettlement or Homes for Ukraine Programmes.

North Northamptonshire Council has been identified as suitable for capital grant funding for up to 30 homes from the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) new Local Authority Housing Fund.

The proposal to enter into an agreement with DLUHC to acquire the homes is designed to alleviate the increased demand on homeless services and temporary accommodation, as well as assist refugees to move on from bridging hotels or sponsor placements.

Since the Afghan Resettlement Programme was launched in 2021 and the Homes for Ukraine Programme in March 2022, North Northamptonshire Council, like many local authorities, have experienced challenges in supporting people to move out of bridging hotels or on from sponsorship placements into settled accommodation in the private rented sector. If the proposal is approved, work can start on sourcing suitable properties to purchase in the main towns of Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough and Rushden making sure they are close to local amenities - something families have said is important to them.Cllr Matt Binley, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Housing, Communities and Levelling Up

This proposal, if approved, will help increase the overall supply of affordable rented housing available in North Northamptonshire for all our residents in the future. The fact that we are receiving funding from the government to assist is important as it will help us better meet our local housing needs. This initiative will be beneficial for everyone, not only for those who have had to flee their countries and homes in such awful circumstances. I look forward to considering the report with my fellow Executive members.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

The report will also seek approval to repurpose capital funding to enable North Northamptonshire Council to provide the required match funding against the central government grant for the programme.

The Executive will meet on Thursday 16 February from 10am and the papers are now available online. The meeting will be live streamed via YouTube.