Decision details

Purpose of Report: To update members on progress of the Council House building programme.
Members are asked to agree potential sites for building and the procurement route.

This report will include an annex which may be considered in private as it contains Exempt Information as described in Paragraph 3of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) in that the information relates to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:       That Cabinet agree:

i)             Option 2, to the building of 50 to 70 new council homes on the sites identified in the report, with delegated responsibility to the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services to approve any alternative sites following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing, and Adult Social Services, should those identified be unable to progress.

ii)            The inclusion of an element of market housing at Beckfield Lane

iii)          The identified procurement routes, with delegated authority to the Cabinet Member to approve any revisions.

iv)          Additional project management resources required to deliver the project

REASON:        i)            To allow the council to add a significant number of homes to its existing asset base and help to alleviate the acute housing need in the city, and ensure that should one of the identified sites not progress an alternative can be pursued without delaying the project.

           ii)        To ensure a mix of tenures to allow a mixed and sustainable community and to provide cross subsidy to help fund the project.

           iii)       To allow officers to progress with the identified procurement processes to achieve the delivery timescale, and to ensure that any revisions to the identified process do not lead to delays related to achieving cabinet approval.

iv)          To allow the successful delivery of the project without impacting on the wider Housing Development Team work plan by ensuring the appropriate level of resources.