Agenda item

This report provides Cabinet with a final draft of the i4B Holdings Ltd (i4B) 2026-27 Business Plan and revised Service Level Agreement with the Council.

Cabinet is asked to approve the Business Plan and Service Level Agreement on behalf of the Council as Shareholder of i4B Holdings.

Cabinet noted the introductory comments made by Andrew Hudson (as Chair of the i4B and First Wave Housing (FWH) Ltd Boards) in presenting the i4B and FWH Business Plans and strategic priorities for both companies.

In focussing on key areas of activity moving forward he highlighted the work being undertaken to improve operational performance in relation to voids and rent collection as well as to monitor and improve results relating to tenant satisfaction alongside work to address concerns around the tenant experience in some areas linked to issues such as anti-social behaviour.

In terms of strategic priorities, he advised members on the more streamlined approach being adopted in relation to the focus on key objectives relating to Tenant Satisfaction and operational performance in relation to voids and rent collection alongside work in seeking to maximise the Boards contribution to the Council’s wider priorities, with a specific focus in supporting the work being undertaken to tackle the demand for housing.  This included work being undertaken to identify workstreams over the coming year aiming to increase level of stock involving a wider range of options such as utilisation of commercial property (supported through grant provision available to Register Providers) alongside support for the delivery of Supported Exempt Accommodation through FWH Ltd.

In recognising the challenges outlined alongside current performance and welcoming the approach adopted in relation to the strategic priorities identified by i4B, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To approve the 2026-27 i4B Holdings Ltd Business Plan and financial model as Shareholder of the Company.

(2)    To approve the 2026-27 Service Level Agreement between i4B Holdings Ltd and the Council.

(3)    To delegate authority for the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources to approve the terms for the enforcement of key performance indicators in relevant SLAs to allow the i4B Board to implement.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 16 March 2026

Prior to consideration of the report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) again welcomed and invited Andrew Hudson (as Chair of both the i4B Holdings Ltd and First Wave Housing Ltd Boards) to introduce the key themes and strategic priorities within the 2026-27 Business Plans for both i4B & FWH Ltd.

In focussing on key areas of activity moving forward, Andrew Hudson began by highlighting the work being undertaken to improve operational performance in relation to voids and rent collection as well as to monitor and improve results relating to tenant satisfaction alongside work to address concerns around the tenant experience in some areas linked to issues such as anti-social behaviour.

In terms of strategic priorities, he advised members of the more streamlined approach being adopted in relation to the focus on key objectives relating to Tenant Satisfaction and operational performance in relation to voids and rent collection alongside work in seeking to maximise the Boards contribution to the Council’s wider priorities, with a specific focus in supporting the work being undertaken to tackle the demand for housing.  This included work being undertaken to identify workstreams over the coming year aimed at increasing the level of stock involving which included a wide range of options such as utilisation of commercial property (supported through grant provision available to Register Providers) and support for the delivery of Supported Exempt Accommodation through FWH Housing Ltd.

Having thanked Andrew Hudson for his opening comments, the Leader then invited Councillor Donnelly-Jackson (as Cabinet Member for Housing) to introduce the report on the agenda detailing the final draft of the i4B Holdings Ltd 2026-27 Business Plan and revised Service Level Agreement for consideration and approval on behalf of the Council as Shareholder.

In presenting the report, Councillor Donnelly-Jackson highlighted the continued scale and challenges in addressing the level of housing need facing Brent and the important role played by i4B in providing stable, good quality accommodation for families who might otherwise be placed in expensive and unsuitable temporary housing along with the innovative and practical nature of i4B as one of the means established to support residents and manage the financial pressures faced by the Council.  Members were advised that since its creation the company had enabled Brent to purchase and manage homes providing stable, good-quality accommodation for access by those who might otherwise have been placed in more expensive and unsuitable temporary housing, not only securing better outcomes for residents but also reducing long-term costs to the Council.  As a result, members noted that the Business Plan had been designed to ensure the company continued to operate on a strong financial footing whilst maintaining a clear focus on delivering safe, secure and well-managed homes with the updated Service Level Agreement designed to further strengthen accountability and performance monitoring ensuring the company was able to continue delivering high standards of management and support for tenants.

In considering the report, Cabinet recognised and welcomed the role played by i4B as a key part of the Council's wider housing response to increase the supply of good quality affordable housing and support tenants, aligned with the Council’s strategic objectives in terms of seeking to address homelessness and reduce reliance on more expensive Temporary Accommodation.  Having noting the update provided within the report in relation to operational performance, Cabinet also welcomed the ongoing focussed by the Board in seeking to address the key operational issues identified in relation to voids, rent collection and repairs alongside the work focussed around tenant satisfaction and experience given the role of i4B in support of the Council’s ongoing efforts to tackle the housing emergency in a way that combined sound financial management with the commitment to providing homes that residents deserved.

Having thanked the Board for their work and Andrew Hudson for his comments and presentation of the Business Plan Cabinet, having recognised the challenges outlined and current performance, welcomed the approach adopted in relation to the strategic priorities identified by i4B and RESOLVED (noting the exempt information contained within the appendices of the report):

(1)    To approve the 2026-27 i4B Holdings Ltd Business Plan and financial model as Shareholder of the Company.

(2)    To approve the 2026-27 Service Level Agreement between i4B Holdings Ltd and the Council.

(3)    To delegate authority for the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources to approve the terms for the enforcement of key performance indicators in relevant SLAs to allow the i4B Board to implement.