Decision details

The Cabinet will be asked to approve the delivery option for the construction of new social housing at King William Street Quarter (former Lintons site) and the Eastern End of Thames View

Further to Minute 135 (10 May 2011), the Cabinet Member for Housing presented an update on the proposals to enter into a partnership with Thames Partnership for Learning Regeneration Limited, the Building Schools for the Future Local Education Partnership (BSF LEP), and an Institutional Funder to secure the regeneration of land at William Street Quarter, Barking Town Centre and the eastern end of Thames View, Barking.

The Cabinet Member referred to the four key Council objectives for the project, namely (i) maximise social rent homes and affordable tenures, (ii) ensure speed and certainty of delivery, (iii) maintain design, sustainability (code level 4) quality and space standards, and (iv) ensure local accountability and developing capacity within the community.  He confirmed that all four objectives would be achieved under the proposed partnership agreement through the delivery of 477 new affordable homes, comprising a mix of three and four-bed family properties and one and two-bed flats, all at affordable rent levels.

Cabinet agreed:-

  (i)  To the disposal by way of long lease (252 years) to a wholly owned subsidiary of the BSF LEP of the parcels of land at William Street Quarter and the eastern end of Thames View as shown in Appendix 1 and on the terms set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

  (ii)  To authorise the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources, in consultation with the Divisional Director of Legal and Democratic Services and the Cabinet Members for Finance and Education, Housing and Regeneration, to agree the Master Agreement for both developments and all other related documents to fully implement and effect the Project, as described in Appendix 2 and the body of the report;

 (iii)  To authorise the Divisional Director of Legal and Democratic Services, or an authorised delegate on her behalf, to execute all of the legal agreements, contracts and other documents on behalf of the Council;

 (iv)  To authorise the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources to issue, on behalf of the Council, such certificate or certificates under the Local Government (Contracts) Act 1997 to Thames Partnership for Learning Regeneration Limited (the BSF LEP) and the Funder (or such other bodies as may be parties to the Master Agreement) in respect of the Master Agreement, and to the Funder in respect of any Direct Agreement entered into between it and the Council relating to the Master Agreement;

  (v)  That the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources be fully indemnified by the Council in the event of any claim against her arising from the provision of any Certificates she may issue in accordance with recommendation (vi) above; and

 (vi)  To the appropriation from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to the General Fund (GF) of the land at the eastern end of Thames View as shown on the map attached at Appendix 1 to the report.