Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Temporary Accommodation Leases – Great Central House, South Ruislip, HA4 6TS (SU)
Report Document
No Report PDF available.
Decision / Minutes Document
Can't see the PDF? Download Minutes
Text extracted from PDFs
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 1 February 2024 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 TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION LEASES – GREAT CENTRAL HOUSE Reference No. 1024 Date of decision Thursday 1 February 2024 Call-in expiry date SPECIAL URGENCY N/A – This decision comes into immediate effect Relevant Select Committees Residents’ Services Select Committee Relevant Ward South Ruislip Ward Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision The Leader of the Council, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, and on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport APPROVED 1. Agreed to enter into four leases for up to 10 -years with Jigsaw Living Limited for the use of all 25 residential units of self -contained temporary accommodation at Great Central House, South Ruislip, for homeless households. 2. Noted that Jigsaw Living Limited will be responsible for the housing management, repairs and remedial works for wear and tear and full insurance of the property and site. Within the leases, the Council will be liable for the costs of exceptional damages and the full rental costs for the period that any unit is void. 3. Noted that there is a break- clause opportunity which can be exercised in year five of the leases, at which point the cost for the remaining five years of the leases would be negotiated, should it be agreed to continue with the leases. Members will be updated at this point about exercising the option of the break clause. 4. Noted that the proposal to enter into leases for the 25 units of temporary accommodation with Jigsaw Living Limited will be at a fixed price per annum, for the first five years. This will therefore be at net lower cost to the Executive Decision Notice – 1 February 2024 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk General Fund at the five -year fixed price when compared to current spot -purchased nightly charged temporary accommodation. Specifically, the gross cost to the Council of the individual leases are as follows: • Lease 1 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Great Central House - £120,450 per annum (gross cost, fixed price for five years) • Lease 2 - 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 20 & 21 Great Central House - £164,250 per annum (gross cost, fixed price for five years) • Lease 3 - 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22 & 23 Great Central House - £164,250 per annum (gross cost, fixed price for five years) • Lease 4 - 19, 24 & 25 Great Central House - £67,525 per annum (gross cost, fixed price for five years) Reason for decision It was agreed to enter into leases with Jigsaw Living Limited to secure 25 units of self -contained accommodation for use as temporary housing, for homeless households at Great Central House in South Ruislip. The number of households presenting to the Council as homeless has risen sharply in the last 12 months. This decision ensures the provision of lower cost, higher quality temporary housing options for homeless households, compared to spot - purchased, nightly charged accommodation. The decision also forms part of a wider strategy to prevent homelessness and increase the supply of suitable, affordable housing for eligible homeless residents to better meet their needs and to reduce the overall cost of homelessness services to Council budgets. Alternative options considered and rejected Given that Hillingdon is experiencing a sharp increase in levels of homelessness, which is leading to an increased use in the highest cost temporary accommodation, sometimes outside of the Borough, the option to do nothing was not considered. Furthermore, the option to use only part of the accommodation for homeless households was not available to the Council. Classification Part II – Members’ Only and Not for Publication 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 Executive Decision Notice – 1 February 2024 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk 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. Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Dan Kennedy / James Raven – Central Services / Place Directorates 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 the urgency is the potential loss of this opportunity to purchase to a competitor authority when competition for this form of accommodation is so high. 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 Residents’ Services Select Committee. 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