Decision details

Administration of the Waking Watch Relief Fund

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

The report seeks approval to administer the Waking Watch Relief Fund on behalf of the Ministry of Communities and Local Government and to delegate the decision to approve funding to applicants to the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services.

 

Decision:

Agreed that:

 

1) approval be given to the Council accepting up to £1m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) from the Waking Watch Relief Fund and the New Burdens (Administration) Grant of £31k.

 

2) approval be given to the Council entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the MHCLG for the Waking Watch Relief Fund as outlined further in the report.

 

3) approval be given in principal to the Council making payments of grants to successful third-party applicants in line with the eligibility criteria provided by MHCLG as detailed further in the report.

 

4) delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services to approve applications to this fund, enter into grant agreements and make grant payments to successful third-party applicants up to the Council’s allocation of up to £1m.

 

5) to the extent not already delegated to them by the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation, delegated authority be granted to the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services, to take any other decisions necessary in order to meet the aims and objectives of the report.

 

 

Reasons for the decision:

Fire safety is a high priority for the city and nationally.  The approval to receive this funding and to delegate the approval on application to the Director of Housing will ensure that we can ensure application meet the criteria and take a risk-based approach to target the blocks that need this intervention.  By funding the installation of appropriate fire alarms, we can ensure the immediate safety of occupants and to also remove the costly burden of Waking Watch from leaseholders.

Alternative options considered:

As this is Government funding there is no alternative proposal as the City Council can not use their own funds for this work.

Publication date: 15/03/2021

Date of decision: 15/03/2021

Effective from: 20/03/2021

Accompanying Documents: