Social Value Ideas for North Devon District Council

HMO holiday-let ban

Members considered and approved amended amenity standards to prohibit rooms in licensed HMOs from being rented on a short-term holiday basis through platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo. The update was p…

“so the main purpose of this report is to provide feedback on the results of that consultation exercise following a query from an agent in respect of w…”

Buy homes for temp accommodation

The committee considered accepting a £1.081 million Local Authority Housing Fund grant, matched with council capital, to buy nine properties for temporary accommodation, including provision for larger…

“Officers explained that the council had been allocated "just over a million pounds worth of grant funding" from the Local Authority Housing Fund and t…”

Temporary accommodation purchase

The council agreed a £2 million investment to buy more houses for temporary accommodation. This is intended to reduce spend on bed and breakfast placements and improve outcomes for households experien…

“we came together a cross-party and um worked at what we could do actually to go well get rid of that and basically a deficit um and so I'd like to say…”

Temporary Accommodation Costs

Homelessness and temporary accommodation are under severe financial pressure, with costs forecast to rise by about £239,000 in the year and demand reaching more than 70 units on some nights. The counc…

“our homelessness services are under extreme pressure Pro um providing temporary accommodation has doubled in cost since 2020 due to pressure and avail…”

Temporary accommodation squeeze

Housing officers described severe pressure in temporary accommodation, driven by more single homelessness, higher private rents, reduced social lets, and limited floating support. This is creating a b…

“we are seeing an increase in single homelessness with priority need that in our temporary accommodation we currently have 75 units of tempor accommoda…”

Healthy Homes capital borrowing

The committee considered borrowing just under £1.259 million to fund conversion and refurbishment works at 36 and 38 Oxford Grove and the former Royal Mail building in Ilfracombe, with a possible furt…

“Um in 2024 as members are aware um we secured 1.98 million from uh uh from government for the housing homes project and I know you're aware of its obj…”

Housing acquisitions and tenders

The housing and community safety update set out multiple property acquisition and tender activities: all Local Authority Housing Fund round three properties had been purchased, round four would add fo…

“local authority housing fund round three we've now purchased all the properties um associated with that scheme and we've entered into a memorandum of …”

Asset valuation policy updated

The council approved amendments to accounting policies for property, plant and equipment and heritage assets to introduce annual indexation between five-year revaluations. The change is intended to ke…

“So, the accounting policies sit within the statement of accounts that your uh committee will receive uh in due course once we finish the financial yea…”

Balanced budget and council tax

The council approved a balanced 2024/25 budget and a 2.99% council tax increase, after changes in government grant, business rates, and reserve use removed the need to draw on the budget management re…

“we've managed to deliver a balanced budget um and actually that's without any losses of services in fact it's to increase the services because from th…”

Balanced 2025/26 budget set

The committee was presented with a balanced 2025/26 revenue budget of about £18.07 million, delivered after increases in council tax, fees and charges, business rate growth, grant income, and use of t…

“members the recommendations are in 21 and 22 on page 144 I'll stop there and have to take any questions thank you very much John very comprehensive ve…”

Council tax base set

The council set the 2025/26 council tax base at 37,670.43 band D equivalent properties, up from just over 35,000 last year. The increase includes the second homes premium and a projected 250 new prope…

“this is the annual council tax base setting which uh is not the formal setting of the council tax itself that will come next month at for Council uh t…”

Reserve transfers and LGR

The 2025/26 outturn produced a £1.991 million revenue surplus, largely due to extra business rates income. Officers proposed reserve transfers including £700,000 to the local government reorganisation…

“The revenue budget for 2526 was approved from council in February 25 of 18 million pounds. It's pleasing to report that the final outcome position bud…”

Council tax rise proposed

The draft budget proposes a 2.99% council tax increase for 2025/26, with the council explaining this is needed to help balance the budget. The increase is one of several measures offsetting higher cos…

“The proposal is for the north Deon share to go up by around about 3% the other major preceptors are considering their uh proposals at the moment um an…”

Ilfracombe sea front works funded

The committee approved release of £87,200 of section 106 public open space funding for a new bay area on Ilfracombe sea front. The money will go into the capital programme, with final siting agreed in…

“um so this is just um uh a report requesting the release of um some section 106 um money just over £87,000 U the construction of a new bay area on ilu…”

UKSPF 2025/26 approved

Members approved continuation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme for 2025/26, with just under £315,000 allocated to North Devon. The funding is split between £63,144 capital and £251,764 reven…

“Item 13 is the UK share prosperity fund. Uh you'll recall Dominique coming to for council uh this time last year in March 24 to give you an update rep…”