Issue - meetings

Ownership, Tenure and Management of Wheatley Court, Cromwell Road

Meeting: 24/03/2022 - Executive (Item 72)

Webcast for 24/03/2022 - Executive

72 Ownership, Tenure and Management of Wheatley Court, Cromwell Road

The Executive Member for Housing & Support.

Supporting documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

That the Executive:

1. Approve Option one: the direct Council ownership of Wheatley Court and provision of the 32 homes as affordable rent tenure.

2. The Head of Housing be authorised, in consultation with the:

· Head of Legal and Governance

· Head of Finance

· Executive Member for Housing & Benefits

· Executive Member for Finance & Governance and Deputy Leader

a) To procure and enter into contract with a selected Registered Provider for the future management and maintenance of the residential units in Wheatley Court.

b) To procure and enter into contracts to maintain the fabric of the building (capital spend).

Minutes:

Members considered the report on the Ownership, tenure and management of Wheatley Court, Cromwell Road, Redhill. This building project in the centre of Redhill, consists of 32 one and two bedroom flats and ground floor commercial units. This redevelopment makes a significant contribution to the ongoing regeneration of Redhill town centre.

The Executive Member for Housing & Support, Councillor Neame, set out the options for the future ownership, tenure and management of the scheme which has undergone extensive review and financial modelling. Three options were developed in detail: 1) direct Council ownership of 100% affordable rent homes with management and maintenance by a Registered Provider; 2) ownership by a Council company and the provision of private rented homes 3) open market sale of all homes. This concluded that Option 1) was the preferred option.

The reference to the Commercial Ventures Executive Sub-Committee (CVESC) in paragraph 40 of the report was clarified to note that Members of the informal Sub-Committee were consulted on the appropriate decision-making route for this project. Members had advised that this project go back to Executive as with all previous decisions about the scheme.

Leader of the Council, Mark Brunt, told the Committee that Option 1) was the financially viable option and one that best met the Borough Council’s Housing Strategy and affordable housing plans for Redhill. This proposal along with the 23 social rented homes at Chavecroft will provide an extra 55 social housing units for rent in the borough.

It was noted that a local registered housing provider would be procured and contracted to maintain the fabric of the building.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive: