Decision details

To submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), confirming that Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) is interested in providing up to an additional 2 affordable homes for households eligible under DLUHC’s Local Authority Housing Fund initiative.

DLUHC launched the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) in December 2022, and a second round of funding was announced in March 2023. The two rounds provided over £750m to help meet the housing requirements of Ukrainian and Afghan families fleeing conflict, and to assist local authorities in meeting the needs of people facing homelessness in their area.
CBC took part in this initiative, receiving £2.36m in grant funding and providing 21 affordable homes for Ukrainian and Afghan families.
On 5th January 2024, DLUHC announced that it wished to invite local authorities to express their interest in increasing their LAHF delivery across either LAHF 1 or 2, or a combination of both, if funding becomes available as a result of underspends elsewhere. If grant funding is made available to CBC, then these funds must be committed by 31st March 2024.
In the event the grant funding does become available, then Cheltenham would receive £87,300/property, with a further £20,000/property to cover other costs, including refurbishment. Our intention will be to utilise these dwellings for Ukrainian families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Cheltenham. Crucially, there is both the capacity and the budget to deliver these homes by 31st March 2024, as the intention would be simply to convert homes already being acquired by CBC as part its existing buy-back programme.

Not to submit an EOI. It is proposed this is rejected on the basis that such a decision would not alleviate local housing pressures arising from the Ukrainian crisis.

This decision is supported following discussions with senior officers within CBC and Cheltenham Borough Homes.