Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: September 15, 2025

Purpose: Cabinet will consider the option appraisal for the management of council-owned temporary accommodation (TA), inspections of TA and delivery of private sector properties for households in housing need and single person homeless services.

Content: Cabinet approved the following recommendations: ·       Approved the implementation of a hybrid delivery model for the Housing Solutions Services not already in-sourced. ·       Agreed to bring in-house the following functions: statutory decision making for homeless singles, rent collection from those living in Temporary Accommodation, and the Private Rental Sector (PRS) placement service, to be directly delivered by the Council from April 2026. ·       Delegated approval for the new operating model and associated budget for insourced services jointly to the Executive Director of Housing and Commercial Partnerships in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform.     Reasons for Decision: Following recent insourcing of elements of HSS, the future delivery of the remaining HSS services was considered, with a recommendation to implement a hybrid model, by insourcing statutory decision-making for single homeless applicants (Lot 2), and recommissioning prevention and support services for single people (Lot 2), and property management, compliance, and inspection of TA properties (Lot 4).   The delivery model for the remaining HSS contracts balances strategic insourcing with targeted recommissioning. This approach enables the Council to integrate services where there is alignment with existing structures and transformation opportunities, while leveraging market expertise to redesign and commission services that deliver added value and economies of scale