Report HPR2021/028

Homeless households had a statutory right to a review of decisions made by the Council in respect of applications for accommodation and accommodation offered under the provisions of part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002). Legal advice confirmed that the decision to contract out the statutory homelessness reviews function had to be agreed by the Executive in order to comply with the legislation and statutory orders in relation to the reviews function.  The Executive previously confirmed this agreement in 2016 and were asked to confirm continuation of this arrangement.

The current contract for statutory housing reviews commenced on 1 June 2017 for three years with the option to extend for a further two years, which was utilised. The contract was due to expire on 31^st May 2022.  It was proposed to retender this provision as set out in sections 6 and 10 of the report, subject to Executive agreement on the principle of contracting out.

The report had been scrutinised by the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee on 16^th June 2021 and the Committee supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that

(1) The statutory homelessness reviews function continues to be contracted out under the terms set out in the report.

(2) The intent to tender the statutory homelessness reviews requirement for a four year contract with an option to extend for a further two year period at an estimated whole life value of £120k be noted. 

Report HPR2021/028

Homeless Households had a statutory right to a review of decisions made by the Council in respect of applications for accommodation and accommodation offered under the provisions of part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002). The processfor conducting such reviews was set out in the legislation under s202, part VII of the Housing Act 1996 and required that reviews were conducted by someone independent of the original decision and sufficiently senior to the person making the originaldecision.

Legal Advice confirmed that the decision to contract out the statutory homelessness reviews function must be agreed by Executive in order to comply with the Homelessness legislation and accompanying statutory order in relation to the reviewsfunction.  Executive previously confirmed this agreement in 2016 (Report CS17045) and were asked to confirm continuation of this arrangement.

The current contract for statutory housing reviews commenced on 1^st June 2017 for three years with the option to extend for a further two years, which was utilised. The contract expired on 31^st May 2022.  It was proposed to retender this provision as set out in sections 6 and 10, subject to Executive agreement on the principle of contracting out.

In response to a question about at what point it would be feasible to return to internal provision, officers confirmed that there were not likely to be enough reviews to make employing an additional member of staff feasible, and the contract allowed for an increase of 30-40% in the numbers of reviews.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to:

(1) Continue to contract out the statutory reviews function under the terms set out in thisreport.

(2) Note the intent to tender the statutory housing reviews requirement, subject to Executive approval on the principle of contracting out, for a 4 year contract withan option to extend for a further 2 year period at an estimated whole life value of £120k.