Issue - meetings

[Report of  the Director for  Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced  by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal.]

The Council is proposing to reassess its housing management and housing demand services, and consider whether a review of the use of an ALMO as the preferred option is justified at this stage.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal introduced the report, which was an information report only. It sought Cabinet to note the contents of the report, and in particular, the options for the future provision of the Council’s housing management and housing demand services. It also sought Cabinet to agree to further consider whether a review of the Council’s housing management and demand services should take place, and if so one which would be consistent with the terms set out at paragraph 6.23 of the report.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the commitment of the Labour Administration to ensure that Council tenants, leaseholders and anyone who was at risk of homelessness, received the best service possible from the Council. The review was sought to ensure that the operating arrangements for delivering housing services were fit for purpose.

The Cabinet Member noted there were 20,000 households in the borough that lived in a property where the Council was the landlord. Those residents had a right to a service that would maintain the quality of their homes and would deliver excellent housing management. Due to the pressures of the London housing market, many other residents needed help to prevent them from becoming homeless or to find a new home. The Cabinet Member stated it was the Council’s responsibility to ensure people were offered the best service possible.

It was the intention to consult both Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors within the next six months to discuss the way forward on the Council’s housing management and demand services. Following those discussions, the decision whether to commission a formal review of HfH (Homes for Haringey) would be taken.

In response to questions from Cllr Palmer, the following information was noted:

• The Cabinet Member confirmed that one of the possible potential options would be to bring HfH under direct Council management, but reiterated that no decision had yet been taken and that all options were available for consideration.
• The Cabinet Member accepted that there were mixed views on the way forward and councillors would be consulted within the next six months in order to ascertain what the most popular options were.
• The Cabinet Member stated it would be right for any future decision regarding HfH to be balloted, in light of the fact that HfH originally being set up through a ballot.
• The Cabinet Member was committed to increasing the voice of tenants and they would be also be involved in any future decisions regarding the future of Housing Management and Housing Demand services.
• The Cabinet Member advised that the current management arrangement with HfH continued until 2021, where there was a break clause. If a return to direct management were to be selected as the preferred option, then a gradual change over of management would limit potential issues arising by ensuring a smooth transition.
• Officers noted that consideration of a review of Housing Management and Housing Demand was at an early stage and there was an opportunity to learn from other Councils that had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 130