Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Housing Revenue Account New General Needs Housing Stock (Housing Buy-Back Scheme 2021/22) - RELEASE NO 2 - PART II
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Executive Decision Notice – 08 September 2021 Page 1 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon: Title of decision Housing Revenue Account New General Needs Housing Stock (Housing Buy-Back Scheme 2021/22) RELEASE NO: 2 Reference No. 248 Date of decision 08 September 2021 Call-in expiry date 5pm, on 15 September 2021 Relevant Select Committee(s) Corporate, Finance and Property Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) Barnhill, Heathrow Villages, Manor, Northwood, Northwood Hills, Townfield, Uxbridge South Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Cllr Martin Goddard - Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Jonathan Bianco - Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure DECISION APPROVED That Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Property and Infrastructure agreed to the capital release requests of £3,001k from the Housing Revenue Account Acquisitions and Internal Developments 2021/22 budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of 14 ex -Right-to- Buy properties, as detailed in the report. Reason for decision In January 2015, Cabinet approved the implementation of a buy- back scheme for ex -Council properties. The scheme was approved to deliver benefits to local residents in terms of improved housing provision in the Borough. Two of the key drivers of the scheme are: 1. To increase the supply of affordable housing for rent in the HRA, that in turn can be used to reduce the Council's reliance on temporary accommodation, especially high- cost bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation. Purchase of these properties should facilitate the reduction of B&B costs and generate savings to the General Fund in a full year estimated at £85k. Executive Decision Notice – 08 September 2021 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk 2. To apply locally i n Hillingdon right-to-buy (RTB) receipts from Council house sales that would otherwise be returnable with interest to central Government, thereby meeting the Council's one- for-one replacement of Council housing commitment under the self -financing arrangement agreed with central Government for the HRA. The application of RTB receipts to these purchases will assist in applying receipts within the three -year limit, of which 40% (£1,200k) of the purchase cost would be applied to these properties. Alternative options considered and rejected The main alternative option is to not buy back the properties, with the vendors selling them privately on the open market. This would not assist the Council in incr easing the supply of social housing in the Borough, in meeting the one-for-one replacement commitment, or in utilising time- limited RTB receipts. Alternatively, the Council could offer lower purchase prices to the vendors. However, the Council is in competition with private buyers for these properties, with no leverage to compel the vendors to accept below -market prices, and the prices offered in this report have already been accepted by the vendors. Classification Part II - Members Only and Not for Publication That this report be declared as exempt from publication as it involves the disclosure of information in accordance with Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), in that the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. Link to associated report N/A – Exempt report Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Ben Sargent – Planning, Environment, Education & Community Services Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in [Internal Use only] When can this decision be implemented by officers? Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is: 5pm, on 15 September 2021 However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold. Executive Decision Notice – 08 September 2021 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Councillor scrutiny call- in of this decision Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above. Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought from Democratic Services if required: Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure) Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive decision, including links to the reports where applicable. If you would like more information on this decision, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email: democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the Council’s website. Democratic Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW