Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

It was noted that, due to unforeseen circumstances, Councillor Emine Ibrahim, Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal, had provided apologies for the meeting and the decisions were required to be re-allocated to the Leader of the Council to avoid any delays in awarding payments and contracts. This change was approved by the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and notice to this effect was published shortly in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Leader considered the report which sought for repair and void work costs for properties to be leased to the Haringey Community Benefit Society (CBS). It was noted that, on 17 July 2018, Cabinet agreed to the creation of the CBS with the aim of providing housing for homeless households nominated to it by Haringey Council. The CBS’s properties currently consisted of recently bought homes which had been leased from the Council. Following the purchase of these homes, Homes for Haringey undertook void works in preparation for them being leased to the CBS. This report sought approval for the payment of these works.

It was noted in the Cabinet Member introduction that the current administration was elected on a manifesto that made it clear that it would act decisively to reduce homelessness and take action to improve the too often poor quality and precarious temporary accommodation in which nearly 3,000 homeless households in Haringey live. It argued: “Poor housing has knock-on effects everywhere; from education to health to crime. And the regular churn of families and children moving from one temporary tenancy to another makes it difficult to build strong local communities.” We promised that we would do housing differently. In July 2018, Cabinet approved the establishment of the CBS, with arrangements finalised by Cabinet in November 2019. CBS’s sole aim was to improve the housing available to Haringey’s homeless households and the works set out in this report represented the investment in this stock to bring them up to a high-quality standard.

Following consideration of the exempt information,

The Leader RESOLVED

1.    To approve a total payment of £981,732 to the Homes for Haringey – Haringey Repairs Services (HRS) for void and repair costs for 119 properties to be paid by the Housing Revenue Account.

2.    To approve further payments to the Homes for Haringey – Haringey Repairs Services (HRS) for further void repair works to be undertaken in 2020/21 up to the maximum of £982,590.

3.    To approve further payments to the Homes for Haringey – Haringey Repairs Services (HRS) for further void repair works to be undertaken in 2021/22, up to the maximum of £1,581,000.

Reasons for decision

These works will be undertaken to bring these properties up to the CBS standard. Approval by Cabinet is being sought as recent legal advice is that these works are technically outside the management agreement which only covers properties Homes for Haringey will be managing as a council tenancy.

Alternative options considered

Not making these payments

This option was rejected as failure to undertake these works will mean the CBS can reject the properties, losing the financial savings they would generate to the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account.

The Leader considered the report which sought approval for fire re-instatement works. It was noted that the works proposed to Firs House for the sum of £999,623 would bring the roof structure, communal areas and fourteen flats in the west wing of the building, that were damaged following a fire incident in April 2020, to a habitable standard and would allow the residents who were decanted at the time of the fire to return to their homes. The works would ensure that the flats were compliant with current fire and building regulations.

It was also noted that the report requested approval for the issue of a letter of intent to the preferred contractor for an amount up to, but not exceeding, £99,623 which represented 10% of the contract sum. The report further recommended the approval of the professional fees of £85,880 which represented 8.6% of the contract sum. It was also noted that the costs of these works would be recharged under insurance policies.

Following consideration of the exempt information,

The Leader RESOLVED

1.    Pursuant to the Council’s Contract Standing Order (CSO) 16.02, to approve the award of a contract to the preferred contractor identified in exempt Appendix A for the replacement of the main roof structure. The works include new flat roof covering to the communal staircase area, rainwater good, fascia boards and soffits, external brickwork and concrete repairs, external decoration and replacement of fire damaged windows. The work to fourteen flats includes the replacement of FD30S flat entrance doors, plastering, rewiring, new internal doors and joinery, kitchens, bathrooms, boilers and plumbing works, internal decorations and floor coverings. The roof structure to the east wing of the block was not damaged by the fire. However compartmentation works will be carried out to protect the integrity of the roof and will ensure that it meets current building regulations. This will be for the sum of £999,623.

2.    To approve the issue of a letter of intent for an amount of up to, but not exceeding £99,962, which represents 10% of the contract sum.

3.    To approve the total professional fees of £85,880 which represents 8.6% of the contract sum.

4.    To note the total project costs of £1,085,503.

5.    To waive the costs to leaseholders for the compartmentation works due to the nature and urgency of the works.

6.    To note that the fire reinstatement works scheme for the main structure, communal areas and tenanted flats will be fully funded by the Council’s Building Insurance.

7.    To note that the internal works to Leaseholder’s flats will be funded by Ocaso under their Buildings Insurance Policy.

Reasons for decision

Homes for Haringey requires the Cabinet Member’s approval to award the contract for the rebuild of the main roof structure including fire compartmentation works to the entire roof, new flat roof covering to the communal staircase area, rainwater goods, fascia boards and soffits, external brickwork and concrete repairs, external decoration and replacement of windows damaged by the fire. Replacement of FD30  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Item 6 is likely to be subject to a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); paragraph 3, information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and paragraph 5, information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of item 6 as it contained exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); paragraph 3, information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information), and paragraph 5, information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

The Leader considered the exempt information.