Issue - meetings

Reshaping of Housing Solutions Service

Meeting: 15/07/2024 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Reshaping of Housing Solutions Service pdf icon PDF 206 KB

To approve the implementation of a hybrid delivery model for Housing Solutions Services.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Cabinet approved:

 

The implementation of a hybrid delivery model for Housing Solutions Services.

 

To bring in-house Lot 1: Frontline housing advice and homelessness prevention and Lot 3: Families Pathway, Housing Assessment, Allocations and Nominations Services, to be directly delivered by the Council by April 2025.

 

To insource back-office functions currently commissioned to support Housing Solutions including, a contact centre, complaint management, and finance functions, to sit within existing services across the Council.

 

To delegate the new operating model and associated budget for insourced services jointly to the Strategic Director of Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform.

 

Reasons for Decision: Due to unprecedented challenges within the housing market, insourcing the families pathway, assessment, and homelessness decision making, allocations and nominations functions will allow the council to have the ability to provide more person-centred support for those who need it, integrate with wider Council services and have direct control and operational oversight of statutory decision making. 

 

Implementation Date: 5pm 22/7/24

 

Minutes:

The Chair introduced the report, noting that a submission had been made by Westminster Unison on this item earlier in the day and that submission had been circulated to the Cabinet for consideration as part of the decision. The Chair invited Councillor Begum and Sarah Warman to set out further detail on the report.

 

Councillor Begum set out the Council’s ambition to have an empathetic, person-centred housing solutions service and that this function has been outsourced for around 20 years. In the context of the housing challenges facing the council, the proposal to bring the functions set out in the paper in house, presents a real opportunity to improve service outcomes for our residents. Councillor Begum also noted her thanks to all of the officers involved for bringing this work forward.

 

Sarah Warman added her thanks to the role played by officers as well as communities and service users. Sarah Warman further noted that the proposal presented to Cabinet has been developed using extensive testing of different service models and that the option recommended provides a phased and measured approach to managing the transition, focusing on service continuity for these vital frontline services.

 

Sarah Warman set out a continuing commitment to engagement with trade unions, including Unison with respect to the submission made.

 

Councillor Noble noted the pressure housing services has been under, the impact that has on councillor casework and his support for the proposals as a further step to improve services.

 

Councillor Hug added his support for this proposal, noting that it also sends a signal about the council’s measured commitment to insourcing services where this makes sense.

 

RESOLVED: Cabinet approved the following recommendations

 

Approve the implementation of a hybrid delivery model for Housing Solutions Services.

 

Approve bringing in-house Lot 1: Frontline housing advice and homelessness prevention and Lot 3: Families Pathway, Housing Assessment, Allocations and Nominations Services, to be directly delivered by the Council by April 2025.

 

Approve insourcing back-office functions currently commissioned to support Housing Solutions including, a contact centre, complaint management, and finance functions, to sit within existing services across the Council.

 

Approve delegation the new operating model and associated budget for insourced services jointly to the Strategic Director of Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform.