Wokingham borough council’s executive has approved plans to purchase homes for Ukrainian and Afghan refugees.
In March 2023, it approved budget proposals to buy 17 homes. The decision last week is to approve the purchase of further properties within the budget proposals that were agreed almost two years ago, using remaining funds that were allocated at that time – but not used.
In 2023, the council successfully secured £3.1 million of Local Authority Housing fund grant allocation for the purchase of the 17 properties as part of the Ukrainian and Afghan resettlement scheme.
The executive approved the release of up to £2 million (developer contributions for affordable housing) to be used in conjunction with the grant to purchase these properties.
A total of 17 properties have now successfully been purchased, according to the council, and the decision last week sought approval to purchase a further single property, within the original budget envelope approved in March 2023.
Once no longer needed by refugees, the properties would revert the council ownership, and generate income accordingly.
