The Executive Director (Communities and People) has submitted a report to seek (i) approval for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programmes for 2024/25; (ii) authority to commence procurement procedures to deliver the programmes; and (iii) delegated authority for officers to enter into the necessary contracts.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1.     Approve the Council’s HRA capital programmes for 2024/25 as set out in this report with the total value of £12,500,000 (twelve million and five hundred thousand pounds);

2.     Approve the commencement of the appropriate procurement processes to undertake the works and provide the services necessary to deliver the capital programmes approved under recommendation 1; and

3.     Delegate authority to the Head of Housing, in consultation with the Head of Financial Services; the Head of Law and Governance; and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to enter into all contracts required in order to deliver the HRA Capital Programmes subject to the proper procurement process being followed, with all spend falling within the budget of £12.5m.

The Executive Director (Communities and People) had submitted a report to seek (i) approval for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programmes for 2024/25; (ii) authority to commence procurement procedures to deliver the programmes; and (iii) delegated authority for officers to enter into the necessary contracts.

Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, highlighted that the report sought authority for the spending of £12.5 million already in the HRA budget for three programmes of work to improve provision for residents.  These were internal works, external works and communal works.  Whilst the report before Cabinet was an interim programme relating to works for the current year, a five year programme of works informed by a stock condition survey was also being developed, in order to give greater clarity over the longer term.  This would enable the details of the programme to be shared with residents and ward councillors.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.     Approve the Council’s HRA capital programmes for 2024/25 as set out in the report with the total value of £12,500,000 (twelve million and five hundred thousand pounds);

2.     Approve the commencement of the appropriate procurement processes to undertake the works and provide the services necessary to deliver the capital programmes approved under recommendation 1; and

3.     Delegate authority to the Head of Housing, in consultation with the Head of Financial Services; the Head of Law and Governance; and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to enter into all contracts required in order to deliver the HRA Capital Programmes subject to the proper procurement process being followed, with all spend falling within the budget of £12.5m.