Decisions

1.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness approves the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (“the Policy”) at Appendix 1 appended to this report.

2.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness authorises the Strategic Directors of Environment and Finance, and officers delegated in turn by them, to implement the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (“the Policy”), appended to this report as Appendix 1, and specific enforcement policies appended as Appendices 2 to 7, and to publish the Policy on the Council’s website.

3.    That these recommendations, if approved, will be implemented and published from 1^st June 2024.   

1.    To note that Appendix 1 is not for publication on the basis that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2.    That the Strategic Director for Economy, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, approves the procurement strategy to source a suitably experienced contractor via the South East Consortium Fire Safety Framework (External Fire Protection) (“SEC Framework”) to undertake spandrel panel replacement and associated works to four tower blocks. The contract is expected to be for 56 weeks, with an estimated start date of 23 September 2024 and completion in October 2025.

1.    To note that Appendix 1 is not for publication on the basis that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2.    To direct award the Suspensions system contract to Farthest Gate Limited through the G-Cloud 13 framework for a new parking suspension system. The new contract would be for 2 years with two optional 1-year extensions. The contract cost will be £145k in the first year and then £65k per annum. This results in a total contract value of £340k. The contract will run not including extensions from May 2024 to May 2026

That the Strategic Director for Economy, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Finance:

1. Notes that appendices one and two are not for publication on the basis that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2. Approves the decision to acquire the Properties and the associated expenditure outlined in exempt appendices one and two against the existing approved RHP capital budget of £16,800,000 and transfer deed for the purchase of the Properties

3. Approves the decision to enter into the contract for sale and transfer deed for the purchase of the Properties.

1.     To note the General Fund financial forecast at Month 9 and the significant improvement in the position since the previous report at Month 6.

2.     To note that the position on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as set out in paragraph 11.

3.     To note the in-year Dedicated Schools Grant High Needs Block forecasted surplus of £0.056m (thereby reducing the cumulative deficit).

4.     To approve General Fund budget changes totalling £6.139m (this includes £3m of balances transferable to reserves) as detailed in Appendix 10.

1.    To note that Appendix 1 is not for publication on the basis that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2.    To approve the re-procurement of the Housing Caretaking service, via a competitive procedure with negotiation, to start on 12 May 2025, for a period of 5 years with the option of up to 2 years extension, for an anticipated total cost of up to £35,000,000.

1.      That Cabinet delegates approval for award of contracts to the Strategic Director of the Economy and Strategic Director for Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Ecology with contracts awarded after the announcement of grant funding in March /April 2024.

2.      That Cabinet notes the contracts will be up to a value of £ 12 m (subject to the size of the PSDSC grant awarded by Salix), but where the total value of the contract will not exceed the combined amount of grant funding received (£5.465m or less) and Council funding available to be allocated to the scheme.

3.      If the current application with Salix is unsuccessful, for Cabinet to confirm the same delegation for future Salix applications up the same value of £ 12 m without returning to Cabinet again for approval. 

1.    Approve the allocation of funding of £543,000 from the Early Years block for 2024/2025. Proposed split of funding is 80%, £434,400, to Randolph Beresford and 20%, £108,600, to Thames Federation.

2.    Approve additional £135,750 funding for the summer term 2025 from Early Years Dedicated Schools Grant to cover places at Randolph Beresford and Thames Federation for the full academic year to end July 2025. This will be split 80%, £108,600, to Randolph Beresford and 20% £27,150, to Thames Federation.

3.    Approve £143,000 funding to be retained for spot purchasing across all settings.