Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
SPECIAL URGENCY: Housing Revenue Account New General Needs Housing Stock (Housing Buy-Back Scheme) 2022/23 - RELEASE NO: 6 - PART II
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Executive Decision Notice – 09 March 2023 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) 2022/23 - RELEASE NO: 6 - PART II Reference No. 737 Date of decision Thursday 09 March 2023 Call-in expiry date SPECIAL URGENCY N/A – This decision comes into immediate effect Relevant Select Committee(s) Property, Highways and Transport Select Committee Relevant Ward(s) Northwood Hills, Uxbridge, Colham and Cowley, Yeading, and Yiewsley Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision The Leader of the Council, and on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport and Cabinet Member for Finance APPROVED That the Leader of the Council, and on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport and the Cabinet Member for Finance,: 1. Agreed to the following capital release requests of £1,024k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) “Acquisitions 1st 20 units each year” budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of fourteen properties, as detailed in the report (Appendix A); 2. Agreed to the following capital release requests of £221k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) “Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme” budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of two ex -Right-to-Buy properties , as detailed in the report (Appendix A); and 3. Agreed to the following capital release requests of £626k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) “Right To Buy Buyback Fund” budget for the funding Executive Decision Notice – 09 March 2023 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk of the purchase and repair of eight 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: 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 £45k. 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 but is now subject to a cap of 20 acquisitions per year. The Council has successfully bid for GLA grant funding for acquisition schemes. The Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme (RSAP) to acquire 20 1-bed flats began in 2021/22. Funding from the GLA RTB Ringfenced Grant and BCHFL Negotiated Grant has secured grant for 13 acquisitions. A bid to the GLA Right To Buyback Fund to acquire 20 ex-stock was also successful. These additional GLA grant funded schemes will mitigate the cap of 20 RTB 1-4-1 funded acquisitions that came into effect in 2022/23. 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 Confidential – Part II Executive Decision Notice – 09 March 2023 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Link to associated report 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 person (including the authority holding that information) and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Ben Sargent – Place Directorate 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? This decision was taken under special urgency procedures and deemed urgent by the Leader of the Council. The reason for urgency is in order to not prejudice exchange of contracts and enable the Council to allocate properties to this financial year without loss of funding. Agreement that the matter was urgent and could not have been reasonably deferred, along with the waiver of the scrutiny call-in period, was also granted by the Chairman of the Property, Highways and Transport Select Commitee. THIS DECISION THEREFORE COMES INTO IMMEDIATE EFFECT. 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 & Executive Directors, Officers 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