Purpose

To seek Cabinet approval for changes to the leasing arrangements of a portfolio of grant funded housing properties in order to support the long term delivery of temporary homes, strengthen governance arrangements, and ensure compliance with grant conditions.

Decision

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a)     Approves the surrender of the affected leases held by Seascape Homes and Property Limited and the return of those properties to direct Council management within Housing, subject to all necessary legal, financial, tax, governance and company approvals.

b)     Delegates authority to the Corporate Director, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, Chief Finance Officer, relevant Portfolio Holder and Seascape shareholder representatives, to finalise and implement the lease surrender arrangements and associated remediation plan.

Voting: Unanimous (Note: Cllr M Earl and Cllr K Wilson withdrew from the meeting for this item)

Portfolio: Housing and Regulatory Services

Reasons

To enable the Council to regularise the grant compliance position, respond formally and credibly to the reservation of rights correspondence, reduce the risk of grant recovery or other funder remedies, maintain accommodation for residents in housing need, and ensure the affected homes continue to be used for the public purposes for which the grant funding was awarded.