The Cabinet Member Signing meeting on Monday 7 September 2026 approved new contracts for the provision of internal audit services and the redevelopment of Kings Road Car Park. The meeting also confirmed the appointment of a contractor for the Kings Road Car Park development.

Provision of Internal Audit Services

Haringey Council will enter into new agreements to secure its internal audit services from 1 October 2026. The Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate approved the commencement of procurement processes and the entering into Access Agreements with both Croydon Council and Barnet Council.

Under the agreement with Croydon Council, Haringey Council will call off services from their single-supplier Audit Services Framework Agreement with Forvis Mazars Public Sector Internal Audit Ltd (Mazars). This contract is for a period of three years and six months, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2030, with a total cost of up to £2.0 million.

Additionally, Haringey Council will enter into an Access Agreement with Barnet Council to call off services from their multi-supplier Internal Audit and Advisory Services (Cross Council Assurance Service) Framework Agreement. This initial contract will run from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2029, with a total cost of up to £1.5 million. This agreement includes an option for an extension of up to five years, until 31 March 2034, which would bring the total value of the contract with Barnet Council to £4 million over an eight-year period.

The total annual cost for the provision of internal audit services will not exceed £0.5 million, with allowances for inflationary increases based on 2026/27 tendered prices.

The decision to secure these services was driven by the expiry of the current internal audit contract on 31 March 2026, which had been extended to 30 September 2026. Internal audit is a statutory function, and it was deemed necessary to ensure an appropriate service was in place to maintain compliance with statutory requirements.

Several alternative options were considered. An in-house service was not recommended due to the difficulty in recruiting and retaining specialist staff, a common challenge faced by London boroughs. An open tender process was also deemed too resource-intensive and unlikely to yield better value than existing framework agreements. Using the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework was considered less advantageous due to potentially higher daily rates compared to the Croydon Council Framework for the volume of work Haringey requires. A shared service arrangement with another local authority was not recommended at this time, although it may be considered in the future. The recommended options, utilising the Croydon and Barnet Council frameworks, were chosen for their flexibility, access to specialist expertise, and value for money.

The report noted that the framework agreement rates would be subject to review and a Retail Prices Index-linked increase annually. The internal audit service for Homes for Haringey and Haringey Community Benefits Society is currently provided via the Croydon Council framework. The decision was made to retain the services of the existing supplier, Mazars, where possible, due to their familiarity with the Council's systems and processes.

Kings Road Car Park Redevelopment

The Cabinet Member for Housing approved the contract award for the redevelopment of Kings Road Car Park, located to the rear of St James Place, N17 8NP. This scheme is part of the Council's commitment to deliver 3,000 new Council homes by 2031.

The total scheme cost for the development was approved, along with the appointment of Contractor A (details of which were in an exempt report) to deliver the project. The contract sum for this development, which will provide nine new Council homes, is £3,950,256, plus client contingency. A Letter of Intent for up to 10% of the contract value was also approved.

The Cabinet Member also approved the appropriation of the land at Kings Road Car Park from housing purposes to planning purposes, under Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972. This facilitates the development and allows the Council to utilise its powers under Section 203 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to address any third-party rights affected by the development. Following practical completion, the land will be re-appropriated back to housing purposes.

The decision to proceed with the development was based on financial appraisals confirming its viability and value for money. The recommended contractor submitted the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The development will deliver nine four-bedroom Council homes for Social Rent, addressing a shortage of larger affordable homes in the borough and contributing to the Council's housing delivery targets. The scheme is also designed to improve the local environment and enhance safety through better site layout and security.

Alternative options considered included not proceeding with the development, which was rejected as it would prevent the delivery of much-needed homes. Proceeding without appropriating the site for planning purposes and without utilising Section 203 powers was also rejected due to the potential risk of legal challenges from third-party rights. Finally, not re-appropriating the land back to housing purposes after completion was rejected as the homes are intended to remain within the Housing Revenue Account as Council housing at Social Rent.

The decision to hold this as a Cabinet Member Signing was due to a deadline for GLA funding on 30 September. Residents' main concern regarding the loss of car parking was addressed by assurances that CPZ parking would be made available for existing residents.