Decisions

To provide the reasons for a request from Sanctuary Housing to cease acting as agent for collection of water rates from their stock transfer tenants on behalf of Yorkshire Water from April 2020.

To agree not to exercise the Council’s power to enforce upon Sanctuary Housing the covenant relating to water charge collection, provided that the right to enforce the covenant in future may be exercised in the future should the Council receive complaints from qualifying tenants.

This report sets out proposals for reducing funding to four services currently commissioned by the People Portfolio, to assist the Council to meet its budget within available resources.

The report also proposes to extend the Homeless Prevention and Resettlement Contract provided by Shelter for two years which is permitted within the current contract.

It also proposes to vary the contract to merge a small service funded by Children’s Commissioning to the Homeless Resettlement and Prevention contract to streamline Council contracts and enable a short term continuation of this service to enable the Council to undertake a review of its early intervention and prevention work.

To give authority to:

1. Negotiate with South Yorkshire Housing Association with a view to reducing contract price by £350,000 p.a. for over the whole contract term or in the alternative where agreement cannot be reached to terminate the contract, as per the terms of the agreement.

2. Negotiate with Shelter with a view to reducing the contract price by £150,000 p.a. or in the alternative where agreement cannot be reached, terminate the contract as per the terms of the agreement on 2^nd October 2019.

3. Where Shelter agree to a contract price reduction:

a.    extend the Homeless Prevention and Resettlement contract to 2^nd October 2021; and

b.    vary the contract with Shelter to provide an additional £26,000 for 6 months from 1^st April 2020 to continue to provide specialists housing support to families and children.

4. Terminate the Handy Person Contract with Yorkshire Housing by providing at least three months notice and thereafter not re-procure the service.  Officers will work with Yorkshire Housing to ensure an appropriate notice period is given to allow for alternative sustainable options to be explored and impact on staff and service users to be managed appropriately.

Note: that the Transitional Landlord Contract will end on 30^th November 2019 and shall not be re-procured.  Officers will work with Yorkshire Housing to ensure an appropriate notice period is given to allow for alternative sustainable options to be explored and impact on staff and service users to be managed appropriately.

(i) The tender of E C Surfacing in the sum of £53,721 is accepted; and

(ii) a letter of acceptance is issued accordingly.

(i) The tender of William Birch & Sons Ltd. in the sum of £108,854.07 is accepted, and

(ii) A letter of acceptance is issued accordingly.

(i) The tender of Lewis Ashley Services Ltd in the sum of £150,820 is accepted;

(ii) a letter of acceptance is issued accordingly; and

(iii) a contract variation is instructed for the mobile replacement at Dobcroft Junior School.

(i) The combined tender value of £58,326 from Awards K Barrier, Avanti Steel, EC Surfacing and Pushkin Signs Ltd is accepted; and

(ii) letters of acceptance are issued accordingly.

(i) The combined tender value of £39,104 from SCC Playground team, Sutcliffe Play, Play and Leisure, MHH Contracting and ACME Tree Care is accepted, and

(ii) letters of acceptance are issued accordingly.

(i) The tender of Timberplay Ltd in the sum of £209,032.68 is accepted; and

(ii) a Letter of Acceptance is issued accordingly.

This year is the centenary of the 1919 Addison Act which enabled the large-scale expansion of council housing in England. This report proposes that the Council hosts three celebratory events in parks in the city.

That the proposals and the budget, as contained in the report, are approved.