Millions to be spent in the next four months buying flats and bedsits for rough sleepers in Milton Keynes

Millions of pounds are set to be spent by the council on buying 30 flats and bedsits off the property market in Milton Keynes before April to provide supported housing for rough sleepers.
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Milton Keynes Council moved more than 150 rough sleepers in the city off the streets and into hotels and temporary accommodation at the start of the coronavirus pandemic – and now it wants to make sure the homeless can move on.

At a meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Hannah O’Neill (Lab, Woughton and Fishermead), the council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, formally decided to release £3.515m, which will be topped up by just over £1m from the Government.

The cash will come from the council’s housing revenue account, which is the pot into which local authority tenants’ rents are put.

“Time really is of the essence as we have to have the money spent by March 2021 so there is not a lot of time,” said Cllr O’Neill.

“We are hoping if there are any hold ups or if covid prevents us from doing it as quickly as we would like we will be able to negotiate with Government but we are aiming to have them all bought by March 31, 2021.”

A report to Cllr O’Neill said the Government has stated that the focus of help to the homeless “must now shift to ensure that individuals do not return to the streets” and to end rough sleeping for good.

The decision will reduce the council’s spending on expensive temporary accommodation and be better for the wellbeing of ex-rough sleepers, the report adds.

Cllr Hannah O'NeillCllr Hannah O'Neill
Cllr Hannah O'Neill

The report, sponsored by Victoria Collins, the council’s director of adult services said: “There is little appetite amongst housing associations to buy existing properties and let them exclusively to council tenants.

“They are also reluctant to house large numbers of MK’s more vulnerable residents that need additional support.

“Housing associations prefer to build or purchase new properties, as such properties meet modern energy efficiency standards, the construction costs represent better value for money and capital grant is more readily available.”