Agenda item

(Director of Communities) To consider the attached report (CHB-014-2015/16).

(1)        That two new three-year fixed-term posts of Housing Development Manager and Housing Development Officer be created as soon as possible, following job evaluation to determine appropriate grades; and

(2)        That the costs of the new posts be funded from the HRA Capital Programme budget for the Council Housebuilding Programme.

The Director of Communities presented a report to the Cabinet Committee. He advised that the responsibility for the housebuilding programme rested with the Assistant Director (Housing Property and Development) and as a result of the Cabinet Committee’s decision to extend and accelerate the Council Housebuilding Programme, from an initial 6-phase programme of 120 homes to at least a 10-phase programme of around 315 homes, with a plan to commence each phase every 3 months, there were now insufficient staffing resources to effectively manage and deliver the programme.

The Cabinet Committee noted the following current priorities for the programme:

(a)        To complete the 23 new homes under Phase 1;

(b)        To start on site with Phase 2 of the programme (51 homes at Burton Road);

(c)        To implement a Procurement Strategy for Phase 3 of the Programme (34 homes), reported earlier in the Agenda, to enable a tendering process to be undertaken and a start on site in August 2016;

(d)        To seek/obtain planning permission for all the sites in Phase 4 of the programme;

(e)        To complete the remaining feasibility studies for future phases and to seek planning permission accordingly;

(f)        To overcome and resolve the site-specific legal issues relating to each site, to enable the proposed developments to be undertaken;

(g)        To enter into a contract for the purchase of the 8 affordable rented homes at the private development in Barnfield, Roydon from the developer, and to then oversee the works, in order to enable additional expenditure of 141 capital receipts;

(h)        To source and purchase 8-10 properties from the open market to enable further expenditure of 1-4-1 receipts; and

(i)            To monitor and ensure that the required amount of 141 receipts are spent within the 3-year deadline, to ensure that no receipts or (punitive) interest is paid to the DCLG.

It was noted that the workload to date to deliver the housebuilding programme had been immense, which had been increased by the Cabinet Committee’s decision to extend and accelerate the programme.  Although a lot of the work had been undertaken by the Development Agent and their consultants (Pellings LLP), through the Development Agreement with the Council, the Assistant Housing Assets Manager and the Senior Housing Development Officer have had to spend significantly more than 50% of their time on the programme – leaving them with insufficient time to meet their other important responsibilities, the workload for which was also increasing.

This urgent need had recently been considered by Management Board, who were of the view that two new posts were needed to be created, as soon as possible, as follows:

·         A Housing Development Manager post, reporting to the Assistant Director, with responsibility for managing the delivering of the housebuilding programme – with high-level strategic support provided by the Assistant Director. Subject to job evaluation, this was expected to be at Grade 10 - at a (mid-point) salary cost of £42,158 per annum (plus on-costs); and

·         A Housing Development Officer post, reporting to the Assistant Housing Assets Manager (Special Projects), to undertake day-to-day project management of developments. Subject to job evaluation, this was expected to be at Grade 6 – at a (mid-point) salary cost of £24,577 per annum (plus on-costs).

It was noted that since these two new posts would be dedicated to the housebuilding programme, they could be funded from the HRA Capital Programme. 

Whilst recognising the need for additional staffing resources, the Cabinet Committee were concerned that the Council Housebuilding Programme was now into its third year and that there was not therefore a need to take on two new permanent members of staff. However, two new members of staff on three-year fixed-term contracts was supported. The Cabinet Committee agreed that if the fixed-term contracts did not attract the quality of candidates required, permanent members of staff could be appointed, subject to the approval of the Housing Portfolio Holder.

Decision:

(1)        That two new three-year fixed-term posts of Housing Development Manager and Housing Development Officer be created as soon as possible, following job evaluation to determine appropriate grades; and

(2)        That the costs of the new posts be funded from the HRA Capital Programme budget for the Council Housebuilding Programme.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council’s housebuilding programme has been extended and accelerated, and the current staffing resources are insufficient.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To create more or less new posts.