Agenda item

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

Decision will be sought to approve the new Management Agreement between the Council and Homes for Haringey.

The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning and provided the results of the second consultation on the proposal to enter into a new Management Agreement with Homes for Haringey There were almost 1,200 responses to the statutory consultation with secure tenants, of whom 81% agreed with the proposal to enter into a new Management Agreement with Homes for Haringey. In the non-statutory consultation with leaseholders, there were just over 200 responses and 49% agreed with the proposal.

In light of the results of the statutory consultation, which were in favour of the proposal to enter into a new Management Agreement with Homes for Haringey, as well as the reasons set out in the Future of Housing Review, the report recommended that Cabinet agreed to enter into a new Management Agreement and that officers proceed to seek approval of that Agreement from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Based on the results of the consultation and the feedback given by residents, it was also proposed that some changes are made to the Management Agreement considered by Cabinet in March 2016. These are set out in section eight, and the proposed Management Agreement was attached at appendix two. 

In response to a question from Cllr Engert:

• The Cabinet Member expressed that the Council was keen to listen to voice of leaseholders and had included them in this consultation and the previous consultation when there was no requirement to do so.

• The levels of leaseholder dis-ratification with services was not good enough and the Cabinet Member had raised this with officers.

• The Homes for Haringey Executive Director for Operations was leading a project on improving services to leaseholders as well as providing more simplified and easy to understand information on service charges. The Cabinet Member was happy to arrange a meeting between Cllr Engert and The Homes for Haringey Executive Director or provide a briefing note on the activities to support leaseholders.

RESOLVED

1. To note the outcome of the consultation carried out with Council tenants pursuant to section 105 of the Housing Act 1985, and the non-statutory consultation with Council leaseholders, as summarised in section seven of this report and set out in detail in appendix one.

2. Having regard to the results of this consultation, and subject to the approval of the Homes and Communities Agency, to agree that the Council enters into a new Management Agreement with Homes for Haringey, and that this new Management Agreement runs until 2026, subject to the Council’s right to terminate the Agreement earlier following review on 31^st March 2021.

3. To approve the proposed Management Agreement attached at appendix two.

4. To agree to an application being made by officers to the Homes and Communities Agency pursuant to section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 to seek approval for the new Management Agreement.

5. To delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Regeneration, Planning and Development, to be exercised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning, to make amendments to, finalise and implement the new Management Agreement.

6. To note the existing extension of 2011 Management Agreement until such approval is received and the new Management Agreement commences, as set out in section six.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet has previously decided that the Council should retain Homes for Haringey, and a further decision is now required following consultation with Council tenants and leaseholders on the proposal.

Alternative options considered

The Future of Housing review reported to Cabinet in September 2015 and considered in-depth the options for the future management of the Council’s housing stock. The options regarding the ongoing management of the housing stock considered by the review were:

The Council transfers the housing stock in whole or part to another organisation – this option was ruled out, as there was little support amongst tenants and it was considered that this option was also not in the Council’s strategic or financial interest.

The Council brings the management of housing services back into the Council – this option was not recommended by the review, as it found that there was no compelling evidence that this option would improve housing services or resident satisfaction, nor significantly improve the overall Housing Revenue Account financial position.

Uses the existing ALMO model to deliver housing services – this option was recommended by the review, based on the results of the test of opinion and on Homes for Haringey’s improvement in performance as well as the savings it has delivered.

The review therefore ruled out a stock transfer, and did not recommend the option of bringing management back into the Council. Based on the test of tenant opinion and other considerations – such as the Council’s financial position – the Future of Housing Review instead recommended that Homes for Haringey be retained until 2026, and Cabinet accepted this recommendation at its meeting on 15 September 2015