Issue - items at meetings - Authority to Award a Construction Contract for the Building of 15 New Council Homes at Ainsworth House

Report of the Strategic Director – Place (copy attached).

11.1    The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director Place which requested delegated authority to award the contract in relation to the construction works at Ainsworth House.  The report summarised the work to procure a contractor.     

11.2    Members were informed that improving housing supply was one of the key strategic priorities of the City-Wide Housing Strategy.  A key goal was to increase the supply of affordable rented housing including building new Council homes.  Planning approval for the Ainsworth House proposals was awarded on 27 April 2011.  

11.3    Councillor Farrow welcomed the construction of council homes in the city.  He looked forward to seeing details of other sites in the city for the provision of 800 other homes that had been promised.  

11.4    Stewart Gover reported that the Ainsworth House was in his area.  The planning for the development had been wonderfully carried out by tenants and residents, who considered it to be an excellent scheme.  He hoped it would prove to be a flagship scheme.  The Head of Housing Management & Development and Private Sector Housing thanked everyone who had worked on the scheme. 

11.5    Chris Kift thought it was a great scheme and stressed the importance of looking for further suitable sites for housing.  Tenants would be on the look out  for further sites and would report back to the HMCC.

11.6    Tom Whiting stressed the need for sheltered housing.  This was just as financially viable as other housing.  The Chair concurred and stressed that the council would definitely want to provide sheltered housing.

11.7         Councillor Randall considered the proposed scheme to be excellent.  He informed members that a report would be prepared on further housing provision, including extra care housing and housing for older people.  Meanwhile, enquiries were being made to ascertain the latest developments with regard to an Anchor housing scheme. 

11.8    Councillor G Theobald stressed that the scheme and other excellent schemes were developed under the previous administration.  The Chair stated that she recognised the work carried out by the previous administration.

11.9    An indicative vote was carried out by tenants.  The tenants unanimously supported the recommendations. 

11.10  RESOLVED – (1) That the HMCC supports the proposal that the Cabinet Member for Housing delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Place to award and enter into the design and build contract for Ainsworth House. This requires awarding and entering into a contract with a delivery partner following a competitive procurement process via the Homes and Communities Agencies Delivery Partner Panel. The approximate contract value is £1.6m.