Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 78 (22 January 2019), the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing presented a report on the latest structural and governance issues relating to B&D Reside, the Council’s municipal housing company, and its Business Plan for 2019/20.

One of the key drivers to Reside’s future success was the establishment of a subsidiary company within its structure that would become a Registered Provider of Social Housing (an RP).  Officers had undertaken a detailed options appraisal and the preferred option was to set up a wholly owned Not-for-Profit RP, Barking and Dagenham Homes Limited. 

The Cabinet Member also referred to the key activities to be undertaken over the next 12 months and an updated Tenancy and Rent Policy Framework that supported the aim that Reside homes would be allocated to those who need them.

Cabinet Members spoke on the significant benefits associated with the creation of the Reside structure, which included genuinely affordable social housing for local people as well as providing an income stream that would support Council services in the years ahead.  It was noted that the draft performance measures contained within the Business Plan would be reviewed at the next meeting of the Council’s Shareholder Panel and Reside representatives.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the Reside Business Plan for 2019/20, as attached at Appendix A to the report;

(ii)  Note the options appraisal and business case for Barking and Dagenham Homes Ltd to become a Registered Provider of Social Housing as set out in section 3 of the report, and agree that the company should proceed to become a Registered Provider of Social Housing;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Director of Law and Governance to prepare and execute any relevant articles of association, partnership agreements, loans or and any other relevant legal documents on behalf of the Council to register Barking and Dagenham Homes Ltd as a Registered Provider;

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Director of Law and Governance to authorise/execute any leases or other agreements required so that 41 units at Becontree Heath can be transferred to the Registered Provider at the appropriate time;

(v)  Approve the Tenancy and Rent Policy Framework that shall govern Reside’s approach to those matters, as outlined in section 4 of the report; and

(vi)  Approve the revised Shareholder Agreement between the Council and Barking and Dagenham Reside Regeneration Limited, as set out at Appendix 2 of Appendix A to the report.