Further to Minute 120 (20 March 2012), the Cabinet Member for Housing presented a report on the proposed levels of capital investment over the next five years in relation to the Council’s current housing stock refurbishment, new build and estate renewal programmes.
The Cabinet Member advised that the capital investment programme reflected the Council’s ambitious plans for improving and enhancing social housing in the Borough, which was now possible under the new Housing Revenue Account (HRA) self-financing arrangements. The programme would include major investment to bring current housing stock up to Decent Homes standards, comprehensive stock condition surveys to circa 5,000 properties identified as requiring the greatest degree of ‘key element’ replacements such as windows, roofs, kitchens and bathrooms, the purchase of non-Council properties to assist in decant programmes, improvements to the management and refurbishment of void properties as well as the major estate renewal projects in the Gascoigne, Goresbrook and Leys areas, the cumulative effect being the delivery of over 1,200 new affordable homes for the local community.
The Divisional Director of Housing Strategy explained that the capital investment programme complemented the HRA Business Plan previously approved by Cabinet and that future investment proposals would be based on the best principles of asset management.
Cabinet agreed:
(i) To note the progress made in delivering the capital investment programme as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;
(ii) The resource allocation for the rolling housing investment programme as detailed in paragraph 3.1 of the report, in line with the strategic investment priorities set out in the report and in the HRA Business Plan;
(iii) That investment resources identified in paragraph 3.1 of the report may be moved within the strategic investment priorities to fund schemes identified within the report, to make best use of resources and to take advantage of procurement opportunities as they arose;
(iv) The development of a detailed investment programme of the schemes covering the roads set out in Appendix 2 to the report, and to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Housing and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing; the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources, the Divisional Director for Legal and Democratic Services and with reference to the arrangements set out in paragraph 1.3 of the report, to agree terms and award relevant and appropriate contracts in respect of each scheme;
(v) The tendering for suitable contractors to undertake 100% surveys of the schemes identified within Appendix 2 of the report, to determine the scope and priority of works in preparation of contract procurement;
(vi) To note that the Council had entered the Decent Homes Backlog Grant Funding Delivery Contract with the Greater London Authority, as referred to in the report;
(vii) To note the extended new build programme as set out in Appendix 3 to the report;
(viii) The serving of Initial Demolition Notices on all secure tenants in order to suspend the requirement for the Council to complete Right-to-Buy applications for as long as the Notices remained in force across the area of the Gascoigne estate within the Estate Renewal Programme Areas, in consultation with the Divisional Director for Legal and Democratic Services;
(ix) The acquisition of any leasehold interests in the extended Estate Renewal Programme where owners were either willing or wanting to sell prior to the formal acquisition programme being in place and serving of Compulsory Purchase Orders;
(x) To establish a budget of £2.5m to fund a programme of existing property purchases as set in paragraph 5.2 of the report, and to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Housing and Environment, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources, the Divisional Director for Legal and Democratic Services and the Lead Member for Housing, to agree acquisition terms; and
(xi) To authorise the use by the Council of its compulsory purchase powers pursuant to section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 (as amended) to secure the making, confirmation and implementation of a Compulsory Purchase Order to facilitate the acquisition of any outstanding leasehold interests and delivery of the Estate Renewal Programme.