Decision details

Date of Decision:

17^th March, 2025

Title:

Use of HRA Property for Children’s Services

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Ian Spicer, Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Details of Specific Cabinet Delegation

or Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Section 4c3: STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF ADULT CARE, HOUSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH – DELEGATED EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS

The Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health is authorised

1 to discharge executive functions

2 through the commissioning and provision of social services for adults and public health services for the whole population and delivery of housing for the Borough, including:-

2. Housing (d) Housing Options

Decision:

To approve the use of a identified property from the housing portfolio, by Children’s Services (CYPS) by way of a formal agreement, to assist with the implementation of the Looked After Children and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy.

Reasons for the Decision:

CYPS have requested to utilise a property from Housing Services to support the aims of the Looked After Children and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy. 

The Looked After Children and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy was approved by Cabinet in October 2022 with the intension of reducing the number of external residential care placements.

CYPS have been successful in acquiring several properties across the borough to assist in building in-house capacity, and although direct purchase is the preferred method, the conditions of the current housing market are proving difficult; suitable properties are limited, and budgets are not enough to match the increase in house prices.

Housing have identified a suitable property within the Councils Housing (HRA) portfolio which has become void. The property is void and requires a high level of investment to bring it up to a lettable standard.

Once fully refurbished the property would meet the requirements of CYPS for a registered 2 bed children’s home in terms of location and size, therefore it is the opportune time to consider an alternative use.

The purpose of this Officer Decision is to agree to remove the property from its current use as council rented accommodation for general needs, to be used, under a formal agreement by CYPS.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Use of General Fund Council Assets

All other Council assets have been ruled out as being suitable for this purpose due to size or location.

Open Market Acquisition

Alternative properties have been sought on the open market but suitable properties are limited, and house prices have increased beyond the existing budget limits meaning the Council is no longer able to compete on the open market.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

N/A

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

N/A

Reports or parts of reports considered

N/A