Issue - meetings

The Council to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced organisation for the temporary provision of bed and breakfast accommodation at the premises known as Knowles House, Longstone Avenue, London NW10 3UN (“the scheme”). The accommodation will be provided to homeless and potentially homeless households. At the end of the scheme the site will be disposed of on the open market for a capital receipt.

(i)         that approval be given to the use of Knowles House to provide temporary accommodation to persons in housing need arising under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 for a period of 2 years, and possibly extending to 4 years;

(ii)        that it be noted that the scheme will not proceed if planning permission for change of use is not granted;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Housing, Regeneration and Major Projects, to award the proposed call-off contract from the Council’s Private Managed Temporary Accommodation Framework Agreement to the successful tenderer for the scheme for an initial period of two years (with the option to extend the scheme for a further two years) pursuant to the Council’s Private Managed Temporary Accommodation Framework Agreement conditions of contract;

(iv)       that approval be given to the grant of a short term lease/licence at a peppercorn or nominal rent to the successful tenderer for the purpose of the performance of the contract, such lease to be ancillary to and run concurrently with the contract if considered expedient by the Assistant Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, Property and Asset Management, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement on terms to be agreed by the officers.  Rental income will be received from the non-secure tenancies placed within the scheme;

(v)        that approval be given to the use of Housing capital funding to the value of £50k for the works required to refurbish the building and bring it into use for the scheme;

(vi)       that approval be given to the disposal of the Knowles House site at the end of the scheme for a capital receipt and provide delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, Property and Asset Management, to agree the terms of the transaction in conjunction with the Director of Finance and Corporate Services.

Councillor Long (Lead Member, Housing) introduced the report from the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects which proposed an alternative use for the Knowles House. Longstone Avenue, formerly a residential care home, decommissioned in 2011 as the building was not fit for purpose. The change of use to temporary provision of bed and breakfast accommodation would require planning permission. At the end of the scheme the site would be disposed of on the open market for a capital receipt. Councillor Jones questioned whether Brent Housing Partnership would be in the framework as an opportunity to diversify and gain experience.

The Executive also had before them an appendix to the report which was not for publication as it contained the following category of exempt information as specified in Schedule 12 of the Local Government (Access to Information Act) 1972: 

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the use of Knowles House to provide temporary accommodation to persons in housing need arising under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 for a period of 2 years, and possibly extending to 4 years;

(ii)        that it be noted that the scheme would not proceed if planning permission for change of use is not granted;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Housing, Regeneration and Major Projects, to award the proposed call-off contract from the Council’s Private Managed Temporary Accommodation Framework Agreement to the successful tenderer for the scheme for an initial period of two years (with the option to extend the scheme for a further two years) pursuant to the Council’s Private Managed Temporary Accommodation Framework Agreement conditions of contract;

(iv)       that approval be given to the grant of a short term lease/licence at a peppercorn or nominal rent to the successful tenderer for the purpose of the performance of the contract, such lease to be ancillary to and run concurrently with the contract if considered expedient by the Assistant Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, Property and Asset Management, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement on terms to be agreed by the officers.  Rental income will be received from the non-secure tenancies placed within the scheme;

(v)        that approval be given to the use of Housing capital funding to the value of £50k for the works required to refurbish the building and bring it into use for the scheme;

(vi)       that approval be given to the disposal of the Knowles House site at the end of the scheme for a capital receipt and provide delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Regeneration and Major Projects, Property and Asset Management, to agree the terms of the transaction in conjunction with the Deputy Director of Finance.