Agenda item

The Director – Governance & Organisational Development presented a report which detailed the outcome of the tenant and leaseholder consultation to enable a decision to be taken on the Council’s proposal to bring the housing management services back in-house. On 4 April 2019, the Committee approved, in principle, to bring the housing management services back in-house for direct service provision by the Council. This decision was subject to tenants being consulted on the proposal and their views being reported back to the Committee for consideration and a final decision being made.

The results from the tenant consultation were summarised in the report and set out in full in appendix B to the report. There was overwhelming support for the proposal to bring the housing service back in-house at just over 80%. There had been a high response rate of over 20% of tenants and leaseholders engaging in the consultation, which was seen as very positive.

The report advised that since the in principle decision taken in April 2019, a number of staff roadshows had been held to keep staff informed about the process and an officer project team had been working on a detailed project plan. One of the main objectives for the project team was to ensure that there was minimal disruption to the service during the transition back to the Council. The Committee recognised the professionalism of the Newark & Sherwood Homes staff during this period of consultation.

It was further reported, that if the decision was taken to bring the service back in-house, a revised organisational structure for the Council would be required to incorporate the housing landlord and associated support services. In order to ensure that there was sufficient leadership capacity within the Council, it was proposed to create a new additional director post within the Council’s Senior Leadership Team.

As well as reviewing the organisational structure of the Council to accommodate the housing services, there would be a need to review the remit of relevant committees to provide for appropriate member decision-making and officer delegations. It was proposed that work on this be undertaken by the Councillors’ Commission before being submitted to the Full Council for final consideration and approval. It was considered that, as part of this work, it was important that strong tenant consultation and engagement mechanisms were maintained and improved to ensure that tenants had an opportunity to be involved in the service that provides their homes.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

a)            having regard to the results of the tenant and leaseholder consultation and the previous ‘in principle’ decision, the housing management services be brought in-house for direct service provision by the Council;

b)            a letter be sent to all tenants and leaseholders and to the Involved Tenant Forum,  thanking them for engaging with the consultation and informing them of the outcome;

c)             following resolution (a) above:

                                                     i.         that the Council’s contract with its housing management company, Newark and Sherwood Homes Ltd be terminated, the effective date of termination to be agreed with the Company, but to be no later than 1 April 2020;

                                                   ii.          to delegate to the Chief Executive to organise the transfer of the service to the Council in co-operation with Newark and Sherwood Homes Ltd and their Board which will address any winding up arrangements for the Company, to include all associated staffing matters;

                                                 iii.          that the necessary legal process be followed in order to dissolve the Company;

                                                 iv.          that the necessary arrangements be made to transfer any properties owned by the Company to the Council upon its dissolution;

                                                   v.          that the Senior Leadership Team of the Council be increased to include an additional Director Role to maintain a strong housing focus for the authority;

                                                 vi.          that a review be undertaken of the remits of the relevant committees to incorporate member decision-making and officer delegations relating to the housing management functions, and any changes proposed to the Council’s Constitution as a consequence be submitted to the Councillors’ Commission for consideration prior to submission to Full Council; and

                                                vii.         that proposals for new tenant engagement and involvement in the delivery, performance and development of future council housing services be developed.

Reason for Decision

To enable the Council to progress the optimum means of delivery of the Housing Management Services for its Council housing stock.