A WINDFALL payment of £1.4m could help fund extra homes in the district.
Stratford District Council (SDC) has received the extra cash from housing association Orbit, from the sale of derelict garage sites.
And the council is looking to invest the money into affordable housing and is awaiting a report to decide where it can have the most benefit for residents.
Housing spokesman Coun Peter Richards said: “ We won’t be rushed into blindly spending this extra money immediately. However, we are keen for this to be used for housing purposes, which supports the work that has already been undertaken over the last 12 to 18 months. ”
He revealed the money would usually go into a general money pot, but the opportunity to consider the number of recent housing-related issues was too great.
He added: “The report group will now look at where the money could be best utilised for the benefit of local people. It’s not often you get such a bonus as this, but it can make a real difference and help us tackle current housing problems and support many more residents and families.”
Coun Peter Moorse is calling on the council to use the money for emergency housing and homeless accommodation, rather than the temporary bed and breafast rooms the council has been forced to fund.
At a recent cabinet meeting he said: “Agencies supporting vulnerable people have suffered after Warwickshire County Council made cuts to the family support budget, and replacing of benefits with universal credit has also caused difficulties for lots of individuals and families.
“It is a desperately unsatisfactory situation to see families with children having to live in bed and breakfast accommodation. From both a moral and financial point of view, the council needs to buy property to enable it to both supply emergency housing and supported accommodation.”
