Agenda and draft minutes

General Voids, Cabinet Member Signing - Thursday, 15th May, 2025 3.30 pm

Venue: Alexandra House, Station Road, N22 7TY

Contact: Ayshe Simsek, Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager  2929, Email: ayshe.simsek@@haringey.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

18.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for

live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone

attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask

members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to

include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting

should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or

recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating

in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral

protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or

reported on. By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area,

you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images

and sound recordings.

 

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or

recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or

reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any

individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member referred to the filming at meetings notice and this information was noted.

 

19.

Apologies for absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were none.

20.

Declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

 

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

 

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

 

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Minutes:

There were none.

 

21.

URGENT BUSINESS

Minutes:

There were none.

 

22.

DEPUTATIONS / PETITIONS / QUESTIONS

Minutes:

There were none.

 

23.

The appointment of Contractors to carry out repair to void properties pdf icon PDF 340 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This report sought the Cabinet Member’s approval for the delivery of essential voids works on a short-term basis for:

  • Properties acquired by the council for onward leasing to the Haringey Community Benefit Society (HCBS).
  • Private Sector Leased (PSL) properties that were leased long-term by Haringey Council or Homes for Haringey from private landlords for temporary accommodation.

Following a formal procurement process outlined in sections 7.1–7.3, the Cabinet Member was asked to approve the appointment of Contractors A and B (detailed in Appendix One) to carry out these works.

Subject to approval, the contract was expected to commence in early summer 2025, running for an initial two-year period. The initiative aimed to improve a significant number of void properties within the HCBS and PSL portfolios.

The CABINET MEMBER RESOLVED:

Recommendations:

3.1.1. Approves pursuant to the Council’s Contract Standing Orders (CSO) 2.01(c), the appointment both Bidder A and Bidder B (named in Appendix One) to undertake building works as agreed to the properties for contract sums as set out in Appendix One.

 3.1.2. Approves the total sum set out in Appendix One.

Reasons for decision:

3.1. Haringey Council is forecasting a significant expansion in the number of properties acquired for onward lease to the HCBS that will require void works. Separately, the council and Homes for Haringey are entering into long term leases on properties owned by private sector landlords for use as temporary accommodation (commonly referred to as PSL properties).

3.2. In total, it is expected that a very significant number of properties, as outlined in 3.1, will require voids works over the next 2 years.

3.3. Following an assessment of the available options, the council requires the works set out in Appendix One to be completed for these properties to be let rapidly to Haringey residents.

3.4. After the conclusion of a formal procurement process, Contractors A and B have been identified to deliver this contract

Alternative options considered

4.1. The primary alternative to the proposed contract would be for the required services to be delivered by existing teams within the council. However, as noted in 3.1, the council is forecasting a significant increase in the number of properties that require void works over the next two years. These voids will require rapid, specialist work to allow them to be let to Haringey residents. This is a time dependent priority given that, like most local authorities, Haringey is facing acute housing need from homeless households and a requirement to reduce the council spending on expensive private rented sector accommodation for residents who have presented as homeless (please see 5.1-5.4).

4.2. As a consequence, it has been concluded that existing council services would benefit from additional support from a short-term void works contract to deliver these essential works in a quick timeframe.

4.3. An alternative option would be to conduct a direct appointment, but this option was rejected due to the estimated contract value of the scheme and to drive value for money through competitive bidding. Instead, this contract was procured  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

Item 8  is likely to be subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be from the meeting as it/they 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); paras 3 and 5, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Minutes:

Item 8 was subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be from the meeting as it/they 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); paras 3 and 5, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

 

25.

EXEMPT REPORT - Award of a contract for voids works to Haringey Community Benefit Society and Private Sector Lease properties

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member considered all exempt information.