Agenda and draft minutes

To consider the admission of any items of urgent business. New items of urgent business will be considered under Item 3 below.  

There were no items of urgent business.

(Report of the Interim Chief Operating Officer). The report seeks retrospectively approval to the contracting out of the statutory homelessness review function to Housing Reviews Limited with effect from 1 May 2012 until 30 April 2014.

The Leader of the Council considered a report, previously circulated, which sought agreement to retrospectively approve the contracting out of the statutory homelessness review function to Housing Reviews Limited, with effect from 12 May 2012 until 30 April, when the contract ends.

RESOLVED:

      i.        That the contracting out of the statutory homelessness review function to Housing Review Limited be retrospectively approved, with effect from 1 may 2012, until 30 April 2014, when the contract ends.

    ii.        That it be noted that the re-tendering of the homelessness review function was underway, to ensure seamless provision at the end of the life of the contract.

   iii.        That it be noted that a further report would be needed seeking authority to contract out the homelessness review function to the winner of the tender.

Alternative options considered

The only alternative to contracting out the function is to have a specialist Housing Review Officer on a senior grade, with additional administrative support.  However, given the number of reviews this is not the best option in terms of value for money, neither is it sufficiently responsive to the peaks and troughs in the workload.  Contracting out the reviews enables the Council to pay only for work done.   Based on the costs of the tendered service over the past two years savings of 60% have been achieved.

Reasons for decision

A decision is needed to regularise the contracting arrangements for the decision review function.

To consider any new items of urgent business admitted under Item 1 above.  

There were no new items of urgent business.