Cash boost for West Berkshire Council to buy more homes for families from Ukraine and Afhanistan in West Berkshire

West Berkshire Council is planning to invest an additional £1.9m on a housing scheme for displaced people – boosting the number of homes for families arriving from Ukraine and Afganistan to 27.

In March 2023, the council announced plans for a £6m housing project to provide 17 homes for these families.

Later this week (Thursday) the council's executive committee will consider a proposal to allocate an additional £1.9m which, together with another £1.1m of central government funding, would allow ten more homes beyond the 17 originally promised at a cost of around £9m.

The schemes are part funded by the Local Authority Housing Fund to help councils manage the impact on its housing services when supporting displaced families arriving in the UK.

West Berkshire Council has been allocated £3.6m, which is capped at 40-50 per cent of local authority costs.

Most homes will be bought on the open market but five will be created by converting the vacant West Point House in Newbury into accommodation.

The building, owned by the council, has been empty since all staff moved into one office building in Market Street.

“This project will allow us to do more to support displaced families now and in time to provide housing stock for our residents," said Denise Gaines, (Lib Dem, Hungerford and Kintbury), executive member for housing.

"By refurbishing one of our own buildings we are enhancing the environmental standard of the building whilst also increasing housing supply to some of the most vulnerable in our communities.

“The scheme is forecast to have a positive impact for the local taxpayer by using 40 per cent of government funding for the purchase of properties and then the council’s costs of financing the properties will be covered by new rental income.”

The proposal to increase funding will go before the executive committee on Thursday (June 8), with a recommendation for approval.

All 27 homes are due to be delivered by the end of March 2024.