Decision details

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Housing seeking project approval for Decent Neighbourhood external environmental improvement work in Townhill Park and Harefield areas of the City.

(i)  To approve a virement of £700,000 from the “Future Decent Neighbourhoods Schemes” budget in 2012/13 to the “Decent Neighbourhoods Scheme – Harefield”, phased £100,000 in 2011/12 and £600,000 in 2012/13.

(ii)  To approve a virement of £475,000 from the “Decent Homes Future Years” budget in 2012/13 to the budget for “Adaptations for Disabled People” in 2011/12.

(iii)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, spending on the following schemes:

1. Including sums in a Capital Programme does not give authority to spend the money.  This is done by a separate scheme approval process. Financial Procedure Rules require that all schemes with a total estimated cost of more than £500,000 be approved by Cabinet before they can proceed.
2. Schemes with an estimated cost of up to £500,000 can be approved by an Executive Director following consultation with appropriate officers and Cabinet Members.  Within this, schemes over £200,000 will usually require a formal report, decision making meeting and decision notice. 

1. There have been various consultation meetings with tenants’ groups during the last two years with regard to the proposed programme of capital expenditure associated with the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).  The 2011 HRA Business Plan also supports the types of programmes of work highlighted above as meeting our long term strategy and this has once again been supported by all parties who expressed support for schemes of work at this time.
2. The alternative option of not undertaking this work would leave the council’s homes and surrounding areas in their present condition and would not accord with the views expressed during the consultation process or with the Council’s policies of providing decent homes and places where people want to live.