Purpose

The decisions required are necessary in order that the schemes within the Council’s approved Capital programme can be delivered and necessary to approve the property proposals as set out in this report.

Decision

RESOLVED:

1. 1.  Approval to the scheme for Children and Education Directorate as set out in Section 11 as follows:

Essential Works to the Old Holmleigh Site: Resource and spend approval of £765k (£75k in 2026/27 and £675k in 2027/28 and £15k in 2028/29) is requested to carry out urgent repair works to bring the Old Holmleigh site to a standard safe for occupation.

1. 2.  To approve the application and acceptance of grant funding to carry out Cladding Remediation Works to all buildings owned by Hackney Council which require cladding remediation work as set out in Section 12.
2. 3.  To approve an acquisition of 96 temporary accommodation units from the existing temporary accommodation budgets, as set out in Section13 and exempt appendix 1
3. 4.  To Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources and the Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services to prepare, agree, settle and sign the necessary legal documentation to effect the proposals contained in Section 12 & 13 of the report and to enter into any other ancillary legal documentation as required.

REASON FOR DECISION

The decisions required are necessary in order that the schemes within the Council’s approved Capital programme can be delivered as set out in the report.

Essential Works to the Old Holmleigh Site: The proposed investment will bring a vacant former school building back into use, addressing essential building conditions and safety requirements while enabling the expansion of local specialist SEND provision. This will support the Council’s commitment to improving access to services and making effective use of existing educational assets.

Proposed Submission Application and Receive External Grant for Cladding Remediation Works: Cladding remediation typically ranges from £2 million to £15 million per eligible building, resulting in an average contract value of £7.5 million. Assuming that fifty percent of the remaining buildings scheduled for survey require remediation, the total projected outturn cost for the programme is estimated at up to £547 million based on current eligible property forecasts. Securing and accepting this grant funding will successfully upgrade safety standards across up to 190 residential blocks throughout the borough, achieving full compliance at nil cost to both the Council and individual leaseholders.

Proposed acquisition 96 temporary accommodation units (Section 13). The Council’s Benefits and Homeless Prevention Service is facing a shortage in the supply of Council-owned accommodation for use as emergency and temporary accommodation. This has resulted in the increased use of expensive nightly-paid accommodation and out-of-borough placements. Acquiring these out-of-borough properties will supply stable, high-quality, self-contained temporary accommodation offering a significantly improved living environment for homeless households.

There is a significant need to increase the provision of temporary accommodation for Hackney’s residents facing homelessness and ensuring we deliver on our duty of care to these residents.

By acquiring these properties, the Council will secure 96 accommodation units to fulfill its statutory obligation to house homeless families. Additionally, these acquisitions will help lower overall expenditure and shield the Council from potential price hikes associated with nightly paid temporary accommodation. Crucially, we are ensuring that these are of a decent quality.