Council RESOLVED to note the arrangements necessary in the event of a
positive tenant ballot, and to:
a. Instruct the Chief Executive to prepare the necessary officer secondment arrangements to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes (SCVH) and the Council’s post ballot transfer team along with appropriate backfilling measures, in order that these can be approved by Council at a post ballot meeting.
b. Postpone the deletion of the Head of Housing Strategic Services post from 30 June 2009 to 31 October 2009.
c. Note the arrangements for the appointment of post ballot advisors to the Council
d. Note the arrangements that would be necessary to fund SCVH in the post ballot, pre transfer period, and that more details would be presented to a post ballot Council meeting.
Council RESOLVED:
1. That the responses of tenants and leaseholders, set out in the report and its appendices, be noted.
2. That a formal Stage 2 letter be issued to all secure tenants confirming:
a) The terms of the Council’s offer as set out in the formal (stage 1) consultation document, subject to clarification of the matters referred to in Appendix 3, amended in light of representations received by the Homes and Communities Agency by the inclusion of the following paragraph:
‘South Cambridgeshire Village Homes would be registered with a Government-sponsored body called the Tenant Services Authority who would monitor and regulate its overall performance, including checking the business plan and general financial health.’
b) Tenants’ right to communicate objections to the Council’s housing transfer proposal to the Secretary of State within twenty-eight days from receipt of the Stage 2 Letter, and
c) The ability of the Secretary of State to withhold consent if a majority of
affected tenants do not wish the transfer to proceed.
3. That Electoral Reform Ballot Services Ltd be commissioned to carry out a formal ballot of tenants in respect of the proposed transfer of homes to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes.
Council RESOLVED:
(i) That the headline net capital receipt and General Fund impacts set out in appendix 2 to the report be noted.
(ii) That the additional enhancements within the offer to tenants of £5m in the first five years, including at least £2m for SCVH to enable the provision of new affordable homes in the district, over and above an investment programme of £323m over 30 years reflected in the indicative gross valuation, as reflected in appendix 2 to the report, be supported.
(iii) That the draft formal consultation document attached as Appendix 3 to the report be agreed as being the best possible transfer offer to tenants having regard to the financial impact on the Council, subject to the incorporation of the amendments requested by the South Cambridgeshire Village Homes, Tenant Services Authority and Homes and Communities Agency, circulated prior to, and tabled at, the meeting.
(iv) To proceed to formal consultation with its tenants on its transfer proposal, and to consider responses to that consultation at a future meeting.
(v) That, while recognising that it can only proceed with its transfer proposal if the majority of secure tenants support its transfer offer in a secret ballot, an advisory ballot of leaseholders be undertaken.
(vi) That authority be delegated to the Executive Director, in consultation with the Housing Portfolio Holder, to approve minor typographical amendments to the final print version of the offer document to be distributed to tenants.
The Housing Portfolio Holder APPROVED the following RECOMMENDATIONS TO FULL COUNCIL:
i) That Council notes the headline net capital receipt and General Fund impacts set out in appendix 2.
ii) That Council supports the additional enhancements within the offer to tenants of £5m in the first five years, including at least £2m for SCVH to enable the provision of new affordable homes in the district, over and above an investment programme of £323m over 30 years reflected in the indicative gross valuation, as reflected in appendix 2.
iii) That Council supports the draft formal consultation document attached as appendix 3 as being the best possible transfer offer to tenants having regard to the financial impact on the Council.
iv) That Council agrees to proceed to formal consultation with its tenants on its transfer proposal, and to consider responses to that consultation at a future meeting.
v) That Council, while recognising that it can only proceed with its transfer proposal if the majority of secure tenants support its transfer offer in a secret ballot, will involve leaseholders in its consultation on the transfer proposal, and will arrange an advisory ballot of leaseholders.
vi) That authority is delegated to the Executive Director, in consultation with the Housing Portfolio Holder, to approve the final print version of the offer document to be distributed to tenants.
That following consideration of the offer document by the Shadow Board of SCVH on 22nd January 2009, any additional comments be provided to Council before its meeting on 29th January 2009.
RESOLVED:
(a) That the Council will make the best possible transfer offer to tenants by reflecting tenants’ aspirations as expressed through the extensive Housing Futures consultation activities, while having regard to the financial impact on the Council.
(b) That the outline proposals set out in paragraph 33 of the report are supported as Cabinet considers that transfer to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes, a new local not for profit Housing Association, is in the best interests of the Council’s tenants.
(c) That officers be instructed to develop the details of those proposals, in consultation with tenants, staff and the shadow board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes for inclusion in the formal consultation (or ‘offer’) document for presentation to the Housing Portfolio Holder and Council early in 2009.
(d) That the Council is prepared to consider reducing its places on the board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes from five to three, in order to allow for a higher number of tenant board members, if principles from the Community Gateway Association model are incorporated in future.
(e) That the Council supports in principle, a commitment that the housing transfer proposal should deliver an increase in the supply of affordable homes in the district’s villages.
Cabinet
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL
A) That the Council seeks to make the best possible transfer offer to tenants by reflecting tenants’ aspirations as expressed through the extensive Housing Futures consultation activities, while having regard to the financial impact on the Council.
B) That the outline proposals set out in paragraph 33 of the report be fully supported as Cabinet considers that transfer to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes, a new local not for profit Housing Association, is in the best interests of the Council’s tenants.
C) That officers are instructed to develop the details of those proposals, in consultation with tenants, staff and the shadow board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes for inclusion in the formal consultation (or “offer”) document for presentation to the Housing Portfolio Holder and then Council early in 2009.
D) That the Council is prepared to consider reducing its places on the board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes from five to three, in order to allow for a higher number of tenant board members, if principles from the Community Gateway Association model are incorporated in future.
E) That the Council supports in principle a commitment that the housing transfer proposal should deliver an increase in the supply of affordable homes in the district’s villages.
The Housing Portfolio Holder APPROVED the following recommendations to Cabinet:
I. That the Council seeks to make the best possible transfer to tenants by reflecting tenants’ aspirations as expressed through the extensive Housing Futures consultation activities, while having regard to the financial impact on the Council.
II. That the outline proposals set out in paragraph 32 of the accompanying report are fully supported as they clearly demonstrate that transfer to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes, a new local not-for-profit Housing Association, is in the best interests of the council’s tenants.
III. That officers are instructed to develop the details of these proposals, in consultation with tenants, staff and the shadow board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes for inclusion in the formal consultation (or “offer”) document for presentation to the Housing Portfolio Holder and then Council in early 2009.
IV. That the Council is prepared to consider reducing its places on the board of South Cambridgeshire Village Homes from five to three, in order to allow for a higher number of tenant board members, if principles from the Community Gateway Model are incorporated in future.
V. That the Council supports in principle a commitment that the housing transfer proposal should deliver an increase in the supply of affordable homes in the district’s villages.