Bury to deploy Right-to-Buy cash to tackle ‘urgent’ homelessness
The council is planning to spend more than £3m acquiring properties to house the increasing number of rough sleepers in the borough.
The aim of the initiative is to increase the number of homes available to house homeless people in order to reduce the amount of money being spent on temporary accommodation including hotels and B&Bs.
The plan is for the authority to buy new-build properties – prioritising three-bed homes – using Right-to-Buy cash generated between April 2022 and March 2024.
This option has only recently become available to local councils following a change in Treasury rules. The money must be spent by March 2026.
A report to Bury Council’s cabinet states that “significant shortages” of housing, as well as “net inward migration and unaffordable rented accommodation in the private sector” all contribute to worsening homelessness crisis in the borough and beyond.
“The council is in urgent need of additional housing to support statutory homeless households in priority need and ensure compliance with its statutory obligation,” the report adds.
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Houses available at realistic rents are also what are needed, not high rental properties by private landlords, I disagree with the right to buy when houses aren’t built to replace the ones bought by tenants.
By Mrs N Jones
Glad to see any local authority build up housing resource and stem the flow of cash to private B&Bs.
Interesting to see that the housing stock to be bought will be three bed new builds. Is there any regulatory reason for this? Surely better value for the public if cheap old stock were bought up. No shortage in Bury
By Anonymous