Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
SPECIAL URGENCY: Housing Revenue Account New General Needs Housing Stock (Housing Buy-Back Scheme) - 2024/25 RELEASE NO: 4
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Special Urgency Decision Notice – 12 February 2025 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 CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (Feb 24/25) DEPARTMENT: Assets SERVICE AREA/ PROGRAMME: Place RELEASE NO: 4 Reference No. 1335 Date of decision Wednesday 12 February 2025 Call-in expiry date SPECIAL URGENCY N/A – This decision comes into immediate effect Relevant Select Committees Corporate Resources and Infrastructure Select Committee Relevant Ward Uxbridge, Yeading, Harefield Village, Colham & Cowley, Wood End, West Drayton, Yiewsley, Ickenham & South Harefield, Heathrow Villages, Hayes Town, Hillingdon West, Belmore, Pinkwell, Hillingdon East Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision The Leader of the Council, and on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Transformation, the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Property, and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Growth APPROVED That the Leader of the Council, and on behalf of the Cabinet Members: 1. Agreed to the following capital release request of £6,599k from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Acquisitions 2024/25 Normal Buyback Budget for the funding of the purchase and repair of 13 properties, as detailed in the report; and 2. Agreed to the following capital release request totalling £9,787k from the HRA Acquisitions GLA and DLUHC Grant Funded Schemes Budget 2024/25 as follows: i. £2,302k for the GLA SHAPS Single Homeless and Young Persons programme for the Special Urgency Decision Notice – 12 February 2025 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk funding of the purchase and repair of 7 properties, as detailed in the report ii. £7,485k for the DLUHC LAHF3 programme for the funding of the purchase and repair of 15 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: 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. 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. This decision progresses the purchase of homes under this scheme and homes where grant funding is available under the MHCLG Local Authority Housing Fund 3 programme and the GLA Single Homeless Accommodation Programme, which have short deadlines for use. 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, 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 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 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 Ben Sargent – Place Directorate Special Urgency Decision Notice – 12 February 2025 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk 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 in the Council Constitution and deemed urgent by the Leader of the Council. The reasons for urgency are, because it involves the Council purchasing properties under two programs with tight deadlines and funding implications. Officers need to claim a £2.524 million payment by 14th February and complete the purchase of 7 properties by 31st March 2025 to secure the grant 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 Chair of the Corporate Resources and Infrastructure 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