Decision details

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Adult Care seeking approval for the movement of funds within the Capital Programme to enable the structural support works to Supported Housing 2-storey walk-up blocks across the City to be fully completed.

(i)  To approve the increase of the budget for Supported Housing 2 storey walk-up blocks by £656,000 to enable walkway repairs across the city to be fully completed, funded from a reduction in the budgets for Communal Area Works (£340,000), Damp Proof Membrane Renewals (£118,000), Structural Works (£98,000) and Studio Conversions (£100,000) within the HRA Capital Programme.

(ii)  To approve additional capital expenditure of £656,000 in 2016-17, in accordance with Finance Procedure Rules, on Supported Housing 2 storey walk-up blocks.

1.  Financial Procedure Rules state that all schemes already in the Capital Programme up to £500,000 will require Chief Officer approval following consultation with the Cabinet Member, those between £500,000 and £2M will require Cabinet approval and those with a total value above £2M will require the approval of Full Council.  The scheme in this report falls within the Cabinet approval category.

2.  Following the collapse of a walkway balcony in the North East of the country, as a precaution, Capita was instructed to undertake a structural investigation of any similar blocks in Southampton. As a result, all such buildings were temporarily propped, pending any required works to ensure the blocks remained structurally sound. Additionally, our professional structural engineers continued their surveys across the city to identify any other blocks of similar age that would require similar works in the near future. Where this proved to be the case, this has been incorporated into the project, expanding the volume of work originally envisaged, but delivering economies of scale and minimising disruption to tenants across the city.

1.  The alternative option of not undertaking the identified works would leave the Council’s Supported Housing 2-storey walk-up blocks in their present condition and would mean that the temporary propping would be left in place for potentially an undetermined period of time.

2.  It would also be expected that the Council’s residents will raise concerns if the work is not progressed, as they are expecting these improvements to be made following the initial propping.