Decision details

That Cabinet agrees that –

1.       the Spendells and Honeycroft Sheltered Housing schemes have proven to be unpopular for several years due to their shared facilities and dated design and that it is economically unviable for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to continually subsidise the on-going and increasing revenue loss of rental income at these schemes;

2.       formal consultation on the principle of closing both the schemes be commenced with residents in accordance with Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985;

3.       that the Portfolio Holder for Housing present the outcome of the viability work for each scheme to the Service Development and Delivery Committee, during the consultation period; 

4.       the outcome of the formal consultation, along with more detail on the costs associated with closure, be reported back to Cabinet to inform the final decisions on the future of these schemes;

5.       an associated budget of £200,000 within the HRA in 2017/18, be established to support residents throughout the whole process, funded from the HRA General Reserve;

6.       Officers be authorised to commence preparations to secure alternative accommodation for affected residents in the event that Cabinet decides to close these schemes, including holding open voids at other sheltered schemes; and

7.       further work be undertaken by Officers exploring the provision of alternative sheltered type housing accommodation after detailed financial modelling within the HRA.