Issue - meetings

This report proposes to extend the existing management agreement until 31^st March 2013, so as to provide sufficient time for the preparation of the new management agreement, and to ensure that future management agreement reviews are fully aligned with the Council’s budget process and municipal year. Further, the report seeks additional changes to BHP’s Articles of Association to extend the tenure of existing tenant and independent Board Members whose terms are scheduled to end in the intervening period until 31^st March 2013.  The report also seeks authority to delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement, to agree any further subsequent amendments between now and March 2013 to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of BHP which may be necessary to implement the recommendations of the BHP governance review report of Navigant Consulting and to enable the Management Agreement to be in place by 1 April 2013.

(i)         that agreement be given to extend the existing Management Agreement between the Council and BHP until 31st March 2013, at which time it will be replaced with a new long term Management Agreement in line with the decision of the Executive of 16 July 2012;

(ii)        that agreement be given to amend where necessary BHP’s Articles of Association, in particular paragraph 15 thereof, to allow for the existing resident Board members of BHP to remain in situ until 31 March 2013;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement to negotiate and finalise the long term Management Agreement with BHP pursuant to the decision of the Executive dated 16 July 2012;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement, to approve subsequent amendments to the Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association of BHP between now and the end of March 2013 which may be necessary to enable the new Management Agreement to be in place by 1 April 2013 and to implement the recommendations set out in the report of Navigant Consulting regarding the Governance Review of BHP.

The report from the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects advised that on 16 July 2012 the Executive agreed to enter into a new long term management agreement with Brent Housing Partnership for the purposes of managing the council’s remaining housing stock.  The Executive also agreed to the full implementation of recent reviews of efficiency and governance arrangements within Brent Housing Partnership (BHP).  The existing management agreement between the Council and BHP was due to expire on 30 September 2012.  The report proposed to extend the existing management agreement until 31 March 2013, so as to provide sufficient time for the preparation of the new management agreement, and to ensure that future management agreement reviews were fully aligned with the council’s budget process and municipal year. Further, the report sought additional changes to BHP’s Articles of Association to extend the tenure of existing tenant and independent Board Members whose terms were scheduled to end in the intervening period until 31 March 2013. 

Councillor Lorber (Leader of the Opposition) questioned the reason for the delay in the introduction of the new arrangements and felt that all political groups on the council should be represented on the Board. Councillor Long acknowledged that the delay was unfortunate and the Executive noted that there would be only three council nominees on the Board.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that agreement be given to extend the existing Management Agreement between the Council and BHP until 31st March 2013, at which time it will be replaced with a new long term Management Agreement in line with the decision of the Executive of 16 July 2012;

(ii)        that agreement be given to amend where necessary BHP’s Articles of Association, in particular paragraph 15 thereof, to allow for the existing resident Board members of BHP to remain in situ until 31 March 2013;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement to negotiate and finalise the long term Management Agreement with BHP pursuant to the decision of the Executive dated 16 July 2012;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement, to approve subsequent amendments to the Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association of BHP between now and the end of March 2013 which may be necessary to enable the new Management Agreement to be in place by 1 April 2013 and to implement the recommendations set out in the report of Navigant Consulting regarding the Governance Review of BHP.