Councillor John Slope

...to recommend to Council the establishment of a capital budget and authorize the Director of Communities and Opportunities to conclude the acquisition of land from Vistry Group Limited and enter into a Land and Development Agreement to appoint them as the development partner for the Harlestone Road affordable housing scheme.

...to re-procure a corporate Customer Records Management system via direct award through the GCloud 14 framework, delegating authority to the Executive Director for Resources to secure the best contract and award it to the provider, with the new contract starting in May 2026.

...the Cabinet noted the 2024-25 annual reports on Landlord Services and Complaints, including Tenant Satisfaction Measures and a self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code, highlighting areas of improvement and ongoing challenges in housing stock management.

...to address financial challenges in three large housing projects, the Cabinet approved a new delivery strategy for Avenue Campus involving land disposals and infrastructure contracts, noted the acceptance of a Brownfield Land Release Fund grant, authorized utility procurement for Bassett-Lowke Hall and infrastructure works, noted the use of funds for these works and a revised planning application, noted the use of funds for design work at Roof Gardens, noted Belgrave House's inclusion in the Greyfriars project, and acknowledged that fewer affordable homes would be delivered, impacting the HRA's capacity for future council homes.

...to ensure compliance with statutory duties and prepare for potential changes to the Mental Health Act 1983, they approved the procurement of a statutory advocacy contract for a term of 3 years with a possible 2-year extension, and delegated authority to the Director of Adult Social Care to finalize the procurement and award the contract.