Decision - Adult Social Care & Housing: Changes to the Scheme of Officer delegations

(1)         That the Cabinet approves:

(i)           That the housing functions currently comprised in the delegations to the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing be transferred to the Director of Culture & Enterprise;

(ii)         That  the new Directors be renamed Director of Adult Social Care and Health and Director of Housing, Culture &  Enterprise respectively;

(iii)       That the Head of Law be authorised to make the necessary amendments to the Council’s constitution to reflect the above and the arrangements referred to in paragraph 3.9.

(iv)        That the amendments come into effect on 12 February 2010.

Given the close links between strategic housing, major infrastructure projects  and economic regeneration,  it is proposed that the housing functions currently discharged as part of the Adult Social Care & Housing Directorate be transferred  to the Directorate of Culture & Enterprise. This will enable greater co-ordination and synergy between strategic housing (which includes private sector housing, homelessness, allocations and standards of housing) and economic regeneration. The shortage of housing nationally and, more importantly, the challenges faced by the City, mean that there is a need to co-ordinate more closely our approach to meeting housing needs with our approach towards major infrastructure/ building developments and better use of public sector land assets. The availability of affordable housing also plays a key role in the overall state of the local economy and, in particular, employment.

The option of leaving existing arrangements in place was considered, but given the benefits of implementing the proposals as set out in the report, and more particularly the integration of our approach to housing needs with the other functions in the Culture and Enterprise Directorate, this option was not preferred.