Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Housing Revenue Account New General Needs Housing Stock (Housing Buy-Back Scheme) - RELEASE NO: 2 - 2022/23 - PART II
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Executive Decision Notice – 15 July 2022 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) - RELEASE NO: 2, 2022/23 Reference No. 535 Date of decision Friday 15 July 2022 Call-in expiry date 5pm, Friday 22 July 2022 Relevant Select Committee Property, Highways & Transport Relevant Wards West Drayton, Harefield Village, Ruislip, Hillingdon East, Uxbridge, Wood End, Colham & Cowley, Hayes Town, Charville, Yiewsley Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Councillor Martin Goddard - Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Jonathan Bianco - Cabinet Member for Property, Highways & Transport Approved That the Cabinet Members: 1. Agree to the following capital release requests of £1,127k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) “Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme” budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of six ex-Right-to-Buy properties, as detailed in the report (Appendix A). 2. Agree to the following capital release requests of £1,955k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) “Acquisitions 1st 20 units each year” budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of three ex-Right-to- Buy properties, as detailed in the report (Appendix A). 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: Executive Decision Notice – 15 July 2022 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk a) 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 £61k. b) To apply locally in 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% of the purchase cost would be applied to these properties. Alternative options considered and rejected The 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 increasing 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 – Private 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 pu blic interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. Link to associated report N/A Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Ben Sargent, Place Directorate Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Executive Decision Notice – 15 July 2022 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk 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, Friday 22 July 2022 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. 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