1. Please could you provide the authority's / council's list of temporary accommodation (TA) suppliers noting how many properties they provide to you as well as the addresses of these properties and how much the total spend per year with them is for the following financial years:

2019/20
Housing Network: £102,020
Fraser Nash: £23,846
Pandora: £6,875

2020/21
Alvaro Sanchez: £75,265
Berkshire Rooms: £110
Housing Network: £231,939
Martin & Co: £73,460
Pandora: £50,155
Fraser Nash: £99,593

2021/22
Brightway Community Care: £54,800
Housing Network: £306,307
Martin & Co: £221,486
Pandora: £54,177
Equinox Management: £45,833
Fraser Nash: £34,679

2022/23
Housing Genie: £38,477
Fraser Nash: £38,276
Housing Network: £246,467
Equinox Management: £68,748
Pandora: £122,705
Berkshire Rooms: £43,720
KB Real Estate: £30,910
Equinox Management: £206,250

We have provided names of supplies and costs but not the list of addresses. We have also not included the number of properties they provide as we spot purchase rooms/ properties depending upon our need on a nightly basis, so for example we may be using one room in a HMO, we do not have exclusively for the property and we are in no contractual arrangement with any of these providers bar one exception which is Equinox Management in 2022/23 – this is a leased agreement for exclusive use of 24 units.

The Council are refusing part of this request in relation to the addresses of temporary accommodation we have used from our suppliers under Section 38(1)(b) of the Act (Health and Safety). We can confirm that we hold the information requested, however, in releasing this information there is a significant concern that the safety of households currently placed in the address and those who may be placed in the future may be compromised and would also cause distress to these households which could have an impact on their physical wellbeing.

This is a qualified exemption and therefore the public interest test has been carried out. It would not be in the Public Interest in releasing the information as to do so would cause distress and anxiety to households who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness within our borough. Therefore we believe the exemption outweighs the public interest and the exemption applies.