Decision No: CAB159 - 04/2008

Forward Plan No: HN02796

This record relates to A09 on the agenda for the Decision-Making

RECORD OF EXECUTIVE DECISION

14/04/2008  

DECISION-MAKER:

THE CABINET  

PORTFOLIO AREA:

Homes and Housing  

SUBJECT:

Estate Regeneration Programme and Council Housing Decant Policy  

AUTHOR:

Graeme Kemp  

THE DECISION

To approve the proposals / recommendations contained in the report without modification as set out below.
(i) Approve the establishment of an Estate Regeneration Programme designed to secure the physical, social and economic regeneration of Southampton's council housing estates.

(ii) Approve the establishment of a cross party steering group with a remit to:

1. determine an appropriate partnership model to deliver the proposed Estate Regeneration Programme, and,
2. recommend a preferred partnership model to Council, and,
3. oversee the establishment of the partnership model as approved by the Council.

(iii) Approve in principle, the redevelopment of Hinkler Parade (comprising 22 flats and maisonettes, 17 shop units, garages, sheds, service yards, access ways and other open areas) together with 16 flats and maisonettes at 2-32 (evens) Marston Road in Thornhill.

(iv) Approve the establishment of a project in relation to the possible redevelopment the Hinkler Parade area, with a remit to:
• Carry out consultation with local residents and other stakeholders including those living in affected flats and with other interested parties, and,
• Work with the local community, and other potential partners to prepare a development brief, and,
• Report back to Cabinet / Council as appropriate for approval of the proposed development brief.

(v) Approve the issue of Initial Demolition Notices on existing tenancies under the provisions of the Housing Acts 1985 and 2004 in respect of dwellings in Hinkler Parade and 2-32 Marston Road.

(vi) To approve, for the purposes of Finance Procedure Rules, capital spending of £200,000 in 2008/09 and £200,000 in 2009/10 on the Estate Regeneration proposals in this report, provision for which exists in the approved HRA capital programme for those years.

(vii) To adopt the new policy – “Decants and permanent re-housing due to the decommissioning of Council housing stock – rented and leasehold”.

(viii) To delegate authority to the Executive Director of Neighbourhoods to authorise and implement minor changes to the policy – “Decants and permanent re-housing due to the decommissioning of Council housing stock – rented or leasehold” – as required, following consultation with the Cabinet Member responsible and Head of Finance.  

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

1. Southampton's council estates offer the opportunity for the development of new and better homes and have the potential to benefit from more mixed communities.

2. This report sets out a framework to enable delivery of these ambitions.

3. There needs to be an up-to-date Council policy on assisting people who will be displaced by any Council housing decommissioning scheme.

4. There has been no such scheme for over a decade, so there is no current policy on this. The purpose of this report is to gain approval for a new policy, reflecting current legislation and Council policies, to be used if any Council owned housing is decommissioned under any estate renewal initiative or similar.  

DETAILS OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

1. This report proposes the establishment of an Estate Regeneration Programme and a cross party steering group to oversee setting up an appropriate delivery vehicle.

2. An alternative approach would be to manage each redevelopment opportunity on an individual basis. This would lose the potential for economies of scale and would make it harder to progress individual development opportunity unless they were individually commercially viable.

3. A further option would be to do nothing. This option would result in the further decline of council estates and would not enable the achievement of the ambitions set out above

4. With regard to the decant policy, the alternative is not to have a policy on this matter. This would mean officers working with people affected by decommissioning schemes, with no policy document to give consistent and legally up-to-date guidance and instruction. In addition, most local authorities have these policies in place as standard good practice as part of planned housing management.  

OTHER RELEVANT MATTERS CONCERNING THE DECISION

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The decision-maker(s) did not declare a personal or prejudicial interest in the matters set out in the report  

CONFIRMED AS A TRUE RECORD:

We certify that the decision this document records was made in accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 and is a true and accurate record of that decision.

Date:

Decision Maker:

14/04/2008

The Cabinet

Proper Officer:

Judy Cordell

SCRUTINY

Note: This decision will come in to force at the expiry of 5 working days from the date of publication subject to any review under the Council's Scrutiny 'Call-In' provisions.

Call-In Period

15 April 2008 to 22 April 2008

Date of Call-in (if applicable) (this suspends implementation)

Call-in Procedure completed (if applicable)

Call-in heard by (if applicable)

Results of Call-in (if applicable)