Meeting

Purpose of Report

The purpose of this information only report is to update the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness on the City Council's council housing (Portsmouth Homes) anti-social behaviour (ASB) improvement plan and to demonstrate the progress achieved to date.

Purpose of Report

This report provides an update on work completed following the City Council's social housing landlords (Portsmouth Homes) self-assessment against the housing consumer standards, which resulted in a self-referral to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in September 2024 and sets out the improvement plan which responds to the recent regulatory judgement by the RSH.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to present recommendations and agree the approach that will be applied to the upcoming annual pitch fee review process for April 2025.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness takes note of the recommendations in this report and:

1.    Agrees to increase Park Home pitch fees by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate as published on 19th February 2025. This will be the applicable rate of CPI for April 2025 pitch fee uprating and will not be known prior to 19th February 2025.  The most recent rate of CPI, published in January 2025, was 2.5%.

2.    Requests that an annual report will be brought to the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness for decision before each pitch fee review process commences.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of the report is to present the proposals for Private Sector Housing (PSH) fee adjustments for chargeable services to ensure fees achieve full cost recovery.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness approves the proposals for PSH fee adjustments for the City Council's Mandatory and Additional Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing fees as outlined in Appendix 1, to commence from 1st April 2025 for all new licence applications received on or after 1st April 2025, and for all licence renewals that have a current expiry date of 1st April 2025 or later.

2.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness approves the proposals for PSH fee adjustments for the City Council's Private Sector Housing Enforcement fees in Appendix 2, to commence from 1st April 2025 for any enforcement notices served on or after 1st April 2025.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of this report is to inform the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness of the delivery model review and options appraisal for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Repairs and Maintenance Service and the HRA Gas Repair and Servicing programme ahead of the expiration of their respective contracts on 31st March 2026.

The scope of the report is in specific relation to existing services delivering:

·       Repairs and maintenance to c.17,500 council dwellings held in the HRA

·       Gas servicing and repairs to c.13,500 council dwellings held in the HRA

·       Repairs and maintenance to c.550 corporate assets held in the General Fund.

The report will provide:

·       An overview of the existing delivery model

·       Challenges facing the service that any revised delivery model will need to support.

·       A summary of consultation that has been undertaken.

·       The appraisal of the service delivery options.

·       Officer recommendation, the action to take forward the recommendation and rationale of the preferred delivery model.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness notes the current service delivery model, the service pressures and consultation undertaken.

2.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness notes the delivery model and options appraisals (Appendix A-L)

3.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness approves the recommended delivery model of out-sourcing the Repairs & Maintenance contract, Gas Servicing and Repairs contract, Landlords Building Repairs Contract and Fire Safety Compliance contract and;

3.1          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness notes the proposed Lotting and Contractual models proposed.

3.2          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness gives delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources (S.151 Officer) and the City Solicitor to determine the final lotting to achieve best value.

3.3          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness gives delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources (S151 Officer) and the City Solicitor to determine the final contractual arrangements to achieve best value.  That the individual contract durations be for a minimum of five years with the option to extend for up to 5 years subject to contractor performance.

3.4          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness approves the commencement of a procurement exercise to re-tender the Repairs & Maintenance contract and the Gas Servicing and Repairs contract to commence from the 1st April 2026.

3.5          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness notes the duty to consult and engage Portsmouth Homes (council housing service) tenants, leaseholders and shared owners as required under s.105 of the Housing Act 1985 and the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2024, Consumer Standards in the procurement process and the intention that residents play a key role in the selection of the contractors and design of service.

3.6          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness requests the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services, to update the Cabinet Member, housing opposition portfolio members and the Residents Consortium, at the key procurement milestones.

3.7          That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness gives delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services in consultation with the Director of Finance & Resources (S.151 Officer) and the City Solicitor to proceed with the contract award and enter into contract with the preferred bidders following completion of the procurement exercise.

4.    That the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness approves a review of the Repairs and Maintenance contract Scope of Service with a view of a Decision Report being brought back to the Cabinet Member for Housing & Tackling Homelessness for approval prior to commencement of a procurement exercise.