Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) 2020/21 (Essential Repairs Grants) - RELEASE NO: 1
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Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
Ext: 0693
DDI: 01895 250693
My Ref: SC
To: COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD
CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE
COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BIANCO
CABINET MEMBER FOR PROPERTY AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
c.c. All Members of Executive Scrutiny Committee
c.c. Chairman of Social Care, Housing and Public Health
Policy Overview Committee
c.c. Perry Scott, Director of Infrastructure, Procurement,
Business Improvement, Communications, Waste Services
and ICT
c.c. Sarah-Jane Bartlett, Residents Services
c.c. Conservative and Labour Group Offices (inspection
copy)
Date:
25 February 2021
Non-Key Decision request Form D
CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (FEBRUARY 2021)
DEPARTMENT: Residents Services
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) 2020/21
(Essential Repairs Grants)
RELEASE NO: 1
Dear Cabinet Member,
Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member.
Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such the Local Authorities (Executive
Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does
not apply.
You should take a decision on or after Friday 5 March 2021 in order to meet Constitutional
requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report
with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo
supplied, and return it to me when y ou have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal
notice of decision to be published.
Steve Clarke
Democratic Services Officer
Title of Report: Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) 2020/21 (Essential Repairs Grants) –
Release No 1
Decision made:
Reasons for your decision : (e.g. as stated in report)
Alternatives considered and rejected : (e.g. as stated in report)
Signed ………………………………………………………Date……………………..
Cabinet Member for Finance / Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure
Capital Release Report – 25 February 2021 Page 1
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CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (FEBRUARY 2021)
DEPARTMENT: Residents Services
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) 2020/21 (Essential
Repairs Grants)
RELEASE NO: 1
Cabinet Members Councillor Martin Goddard
Councillor Jonathan Bianco
Cabinet Portfolios Cabinet Member for Finance
Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure
Officer Contact Sarah-Jane Bartlett, Resident Services
Papers with report Appendix A with capital release requests for approval
HEADLINES
Summary To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds.
Putting our
Residents First
This report supports the Council objective of strong financial
management.
Financial Cost This report seeks the release of £12,000 from the Private Sector
Renewal Grant 2020/21 budget for Essential Repairs Grants. Works
will commence upon the release of funding.
Relevant Policy
Overview Committee
Social Care, Housing and Public Health Policy Overview
Committee
Ward(s) affected All
RECOMMENDATION
That the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Property and
Infrastructure agree to the following capital release request of £12k from the Private Sector
Renewal Grant 2020/21 budget for Essential Repairs Grants.
Reasons for recommendation
The Essential Repairs Grants enable critical repairs and energy initiatives to be carried out for
elderly and vulnerable households living in cold and seriously poor housing conditions.
Capital Release Report – 25 February 2021 Page 2
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Alternative options considered
Essential Repairs Grants are awarded under discretionary powers; hence the alternative option
is to not approve the grants.
Policy Overview Committee comments
None at this stage.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Essential Repairs Grants (ERG)
The Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) budget funds Essential Repairs Grants (ERG). These
are grants to owner-occupiers on benefits or low income to assist with essential work to keep their
homes safe and warm and fit to live in. They are for urgent repairs where it is deemed the property
is prejudicial to health, or there is an immin ent or direct risk to health and safety. Grants are
repayable upon sale if the property is sold within 10 years, by registering a charge on the property
on the local land charges register. Typical work includes rewiring, repairing or replacing items
such as rotted windows, dangerous floors or ceilings, and providing heating or other measures to
eliminate excess cold. Depending on their income, residents may be required to make a
contribution to the costs. Where the resident chooses the Council to manage the whole process
for them, including the design, tendering and contract management of the works, an agency fee
is charged and included in the grant.
Where the Council is acting as agent for the resident, quotations have been obtained in
accordance with Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. Only one quotation is sought where
the Council has awarded contracts to contractors for specific types of work done to agreed
schedules of rates.
Financial Implications
PSRG / LPRG Budget £100k, Previously Released £15k, Capital Release Requested £12k
– Appendix A
The 2020/21 capital programme approved by Cabinet and Council in February 20 20 includes a
budget of £100k for Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) schemes, including Essential Repairs
Grants (ERGs) and Landlord Property Renovation Grants (LPRGs).
Previously £15k has been approved from this budget in respect of two LPRG properties.
This report is requesting capital release of £12k. This includes the cost of works and an allowance
for irrecoverable VAT is included as works will be to private residential properties.
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RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION
The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities
These Essential Repairs Grants will help vulnerable residents through repairs and improvements
to their homes so that they can remain as independently as possible in their own homes.
Consultation carried out or required
None required.
CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and concurs with the budgetary position outlined
above, noting that recommended investment is to be funded from the £100k Private Sector
Renewal Grant (PSRG) schemes budget for 2020/21.
Legal
The Borough Solicitor confirms t hat the Council is responsible for carrying out this function
pursuant to The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002.
Thus, there are no legal impediments to the capital release being authorised, although any
contract that is entered into must comply with the Council's Procurement and Contract Standing
Orders.
Infrastructure / Asset Management
Not required - the grants requested for release are not for Council property.
Capital Release Protocol
The release of all capital funds, and certain revenue funds, held by the Council is to be made by
a formal democratic decision. No expenditure can be placed or committed by officers until this
formal approval is given by Democratic Services. Release of funds must be for identified projects
only and strictly not for the general release of funds for projects to be identified at a later date. No
block releases of capital or funding will be allowed, except if authorised by the Leader of the
Council in advance to Corporate Finance. The release of funds will only be made if previous
Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Member agreement has been given to the project and only if there is
an approved budget.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
NIL.
Capital Release Report – 25 February 2021 Page 4
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APPENDIX A
Private Sector Renewal Grant 2020/21 Release No 1 (Essential Repairs
Grants)
Location
Project /
Expenditure
Title
Information
Funds
Release
Sought
£’s
Approve Hold
More
Information
Required
Various
Properties
Various
Emergency
Repair
Grants
ERGs
A. Net Value of Works
£10,000
B. Project Contingency
N/A
C. Internal Fees:
N/A
D. Irrecoverable VAT
£2,000
E. Total release
sought:
£12,000
Total seeking release 12,000
Previously released 15,000
Budget 100,000
Remaining budget 73,000
View Decision / Minutes Text
Capital Release Decision Notice – 09 March 2021 OFFICIAL DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES ON 09 MARCH 2021 The Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure have made the following decision today: 1. THE CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE AND THE CABINET MEMBER FOR PROPERTY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (FEBRUARY 2021) DEPARTMENT: Residents Services SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: Private Sector Renewal Grant (PSRG) 2020/21 (Essential Repairs Grants) RELEASE NO: 1 DECISION: FULL APPROVAL That the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure agreed to the capital release request of £12 k from the Private Sector Renewal Grant 2020/21 budget for Essential Repairs Grants. REASONS FOR THE DECISIONS MADE The Essential Repairs Grants enable critical repairs and energy initiatives to be carried out for elderly and vulnerable households living in cold and seriously poor housing conditions. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED Essential Repairs Grants are awarded under discretionary powers; hence the alternative option was to not approve the grants. FURTHER INFORMATION The detailed report relating to this decision is available to view here. Perry Scott, Director of Infrastructure, Procurement, Business Improvement, Communications, Waste Services and ICT Sarah-Jane Bartlett, Residents Services NOTES FOR OFFICERS ACTIONING CAPITAL RELEASE DECISIONS (APPROVAL / HOLD / MORE INFORMATION / NO DECISION YET): • Approved - Where project approval has been given, these funds will be released by corporate finance in due course. • On Hold - Where funding for projects have been put on hold by the Cabinet Members, then these cannot be progressed at this current time and no capital funds will be released to progress them. You may wish to consult with your relevant Cabinet Member. More information required - Where projects require further information, the Cabinet Members are still yet to make their formal decision – it is therefore effectively in suspension. If you wish your project(s) to proceed then you should provide further details about them to Corporate Finance. Capital Release Decision Notice – 09 March 2021 DECISION AUTHORITY & IMPLEMENTATION Where required, these decisions have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. These decisions, unless called in, will come into effect from 5pm on Tuesday 16 March 2021. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above decisions. If you would like more information on any of the decisions, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636. The right hand column indicates the name of the officer(s) responsible for implementing / following up the decision in each case. Circulation of this decisions sheet is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public.