Issue - meetings

To consider a request for delegated authority to accept a tender for the re-letting of the Home Improvement Agency contract.

The Committee considered a report which sought delegated authority to accept a tender for the re-letting of the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) contract which was due to expire on 31st March 2015. 

At the time of writing the report it was not known whether the successful tender would be above the financial threshold (£250,000) for acceptance by Officers on behalf of the Council.  Delegated authority was therefore being sought to accept the successful tender and enable the process to continue, and to meet the deadline to ensure continuity of service for residents.

Members noted that the grants provided assistance for people in the private sector, who either owned or rented their homes, and that there had been a lower-than-expected take up on these.  Officers responded that they took seriously the underspend and that it was difficult to predict year-on-year what case numbers would be.  

On average between 60-80 cases were received a year, with there being significant variation in the type of adaptations required and loan amounts involved.  There was a section of the tender form which specifically addressed promotion of the service, with more needing to be understood about the town’s housing market and needs in order to know how to best cater for residents’ needs.  Officers provided a breakdown of the number of applications received during 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14.  Members queried what the take-up was for the private housing sector (between homeowners and privately rented properties), which Officers agreed to look into and report back to Members on.

RESOLVED that

1)            progress with re-letting the tender for Home Improvement Agency services be noted;

2)            authority be delegated to the Head of Community Services to accept the successful tender on behalf of the Council; and

3)            the Head of Community Services and Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services be authorised to finalise the contract.