Decision details

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agrees:

1. To instruct officers to carry out a tenant and leaseholder test of opinion on dissolving Hillingdon Homes and bringing the council housing services back in-house.

2. To instruct officers to report back to Cabinet for a final decision on the future of Hillingdon Homes as soon as possible once the test of opinion has been completed.

Reasons for decision

The Council’s Arms Length Management Company (ALMO), Hillingdon Homes, was set up in April 2003 following a positive outcome to a tenant and leaseholder test of opinion.  This enabled the council and residents to receive around £60m towards the cost of achieving the decent homes standard.  Hillingdon Homes has been successful in the delivery of that goal, two years ahead of the Government target. In addition, services have continuously improved and tenant and leaseholder satisfaction have increased.  However, now these targets have been achieved, Cabinet agreed that the future of the ALMO needs to be reviewed along with how best to continue to improve the services provided to tenants and leaseholders. 

Cabinet considered it to be in the council’s and customers’ best interests (subject to the required consultation process with tenants and leaseholders) to take the service back into the council. Cabinet felt it would enable savings to be made by eliminating the cost of governance of the ALMO and further improvements to services by closer alignment to the delivery of services and improvement programmes within the council.

Alternative options considered and rejected

To continue with the provision of council housing services through Hillingdon Homes without reviewing it.                                      

Officer to Action:

Neil Stubbings, Adult Social Care, Health & Housing