Agenda and draft minutes

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.

The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings and this information was noted.

There were none.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were none.  

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear).

There were no declarations of interest. 

There were none.

Haringey had an ageing population. The Council wanted to expand the offer to older residents beyond the current offer of sheltered housing or care homes. The Council’s engagement with older residents had revealed there was a strong demand for accessible, safe, and secure home which can be occupied for many years.

The Wingspan Scheme was a high-quality development of 272 new council homes located in Tottenham Hale. All these homes would be let at Council rents.

The Council believes that the 46 one-bedroom and 73 two-bedroom homes located in Redwing Court & Turnstone Court are particularly suitable for older residents looking for accessible, safe, and secure homes. The Council was therefore seeking to put in place a Local Lettings Plan (‘Lettings Plan’) that will ensure these 119 homes were let to people aged fifty-five or over.

In 2024/25 the Council let 739 homes meaning these homes were expected to be around 15% of lets. However, it was anticipated that many of these lets would go to existing social tenants who would release and so reducing the impact.

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1. To note the Equality Impact assessment and the Consultation Report.

2. To approve the Redwing & Turnstone Local Lettings Plan.

Reasons for decision

The Lettings Plan was designed following research and engagement with older tenants on the housing offer to older residents.

The Lettings Plan would enable older residents to settle in long-term suitable homes with level access and accessible. It would also be an attractive offer to existing tenants who may release large family homes.

Alternative options considered

To not set out a Lettings Plan:

This option was rejected because the existing lettings arrangements (Neighbourhood Moves Scheme and then the wider Housing Allocations Policy) would have limited impact on the number of downsizing tenants seeking to move. It would also be a missed opportunity to develop a genuinely new offer for older people.

The report sought approval to extend the contract with Ark Resettlement Services (ARKRS) for the provision of Haringey Moving Forward Services; specialist housing related support to prison leavers, as allowed under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 18.03.

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1. To approve retrospectively, in accordance with Contract Standing Order 18.03, the variation of the contract for the provision of Haringey Moving Forward delivered by ARK Resettlement Services and extend for a further period of 8.5 months, effective from 16th June to 28th February 2026 at the cost of £112,369. The aggregated total value of the contract will be £611,377 including the proposed extension.

2. To note that the London Probation Service has been match-funding 50% of the service cost and will continue their contribution for the duration of the extension period proposed in paragraph 3.1 above. As a result, the actual cost of the service specific to Haringey over the life of the contract will be £305,688.50.

Reasons for decision

Research showed that prison leavers without settled accommodation were nearly 50% more likely to reoffend. This made housing a critical factor in successful reintegration into society. Ark Resettlement Services, in partnership with the London Probation Service, delivers the Haringey Moving Forward service which provides supported accommodation for ex-offenders. 

As a provider Ark Resettlement Services possess the expertise to rapidly meet the multiple and complex needs of this client group having previously delivered positive outcomes whilst working jointly with the London Probation Service and Haringey’ Housing Department. 

Haringey, like many London boroughs, faced high housing demand and affordability challenges. Ex-offenders often struggled to compete in the private rental market due to: 

• Lack of income or employment. 

• Stigma from landlords. 

• Complex support needs (e.g., mental health, substance misuse). 

The service supported ex- offenders to integrate back into the community and supports rehabilitation thereby reducing the risk of re-offending. There was a demonstrable need for Haringey Moving Forward service which supported low - medium risk offenders to live independently in the community, reduce re-offending and access education training and employment.

The service contributed towards both public protection and the social inclusion of offenders, whilst supporting the Council’s priority to make Haringey a place where people feel safe, want to live, work and visit. The service met the Council’s strategic objectives of delivering short term housing related support, early intervention, tenancy sustainment services, preventing escalation of need and demand on criminal justice, health and social care provisions. A contributory factor to rough sleeping upon prison discharge was the shortage of suitable supported accommodation for people to rapidly move off the street and into secure housing. Whilst also contributing towards both public protection and the social inclusion of offenders and supporting the Council’s priority to make Haringey a place where people feel safe, want to live, work and visit.

The Council had a duty to provide temporary accommodation to residents. The additional funding provided by the London Probation Service, formed part of the new Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery programme funding for rough  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Services within Young People’s Supported Pathway aim to provide a pathway to independence for young people at risk of homelessness and care leavers, helping them build the skills necessary for independent living.

The Council had undertaken competitive procurement process for the recommissioning of Housing Related Support – Young People’s Supported Pathway. The services were tendered into four separate lots: Lot 1 (Generic visiting support); Lot 2 (Unaccompanied Asylum- Seeking Children); Lot 3 (Young Women’s Service) and Lot 4 (Housing First for Care leavers)

The report detailed the outcome of the procurement process and sought approval to award contracts to the successful tenderers for Lot 1, 2 and 4. Details including names of suppliers and costs submitted by each tenderer were outlined under Appendix 1 – Part B (exempt information) of the report.

Subject to approval, the contracts shall be awarded for a period of four (4) years, commencing from 1st September 2025 with an option to extend for a further period, or periods, of up to a total of three (3) years in accordance with the terms of the contract.

The cost of the contracts for the initial term of 4 years is £ 865,714, and the total aggregated value over the full duration of 7 years is £ 1,515,000 (figures exclusive of VAT).

The split between probation and general fund was half-half. This was very good value for money.  

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1. To approve, in accordance with Contract Standing Orders, the award of contracts for the provision of Housing Related Support Services, Young People’s Supported Housing Pathway to the successful tenderers as outlined in Appendix 1 - Part B (exempt information) of this report, for a period of 4 years commencing from 1st September 2025 with an option to extend for a further period/ periods of up to 3 years. The cost of contracts across the three Lots for the initial period of 4 years is £844,924 (exclusive of VAT) and the total aggregated total value for the full duration of 7 years is £1,478,617, if fully extended (exclusive of VAT) 3.2.

2. To note that no suitable bids received for Lot 3 (Young Women’s Service) and a separate procurement process may be carried out to recommission this service subject to availability of funding.

Reasons for decision

Changes to the Homelessness Reduction Act (2018) and the Children and Social Work Act (2017) which extended local authorities’ duties to care leavers up to their 25th birthday subsequently placed greater pressure on the Council in respect of an increased duty toward accommodating Young People within the borough.

Existing contract expiry and no extension available: The existing contracts under Housing Related Support - Young People’s Supported Housing expire on 31st August 2025 and there was no further provision to extend the contract.

Procurement process carried out: The Council had carried out a competitive procurement process and identified successful tenderers to be awarded contracts as outlined Appendix 1 Part B exempt information. Failure to award new contracts would lead to service disruption,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Item  10 is likely to be subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be 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); 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.

Item 10 was subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be from the meeting as they contain 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, 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.

The Cabinet Member considered the exempt information.