Decision

RESOLVED:

I.                    To adopt the Asset Management Policy, the Capital Works and Stock Investment Delivery Policy, the Planned Maintenance Policy, the Contractor Management Policy and the Property Services Performance Management Framework as supporting operational policies of the Council’s Housing service, sitting beneath the Asset Management, Development and Growth Policy.

II.                  To note that each policy is subordinate to the Asset Management, Development and Growth Policy, which prevails in any conflict, and that the suite operates a single-source of-truth architecture under which each standard, threshold and schedule is owned by one policy and cross-referenced by the others.

III.                To note that the remaining supporting policies in the property services suite including the Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Policy, the Repairs and Responsive Maintenance Policy, the Compliance Works Policy and the Leaseholder Consultation Policy will be brought forward for adoption in accordance with the Policy Adoption Tracker, prioritising statutory and regulatory requirements.

IV.               To authorise the Director of Property Services, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, to make minor and technical amendments to the adopted policies including updated legislative citations, job titles and cross-references – without further reference to Cabinet, with any material change of policy returned to Cabinet for approval.

V.                  To note that each policy will be reviewed on a two-year cycle, or earlier on material change in legislation, regulation or organisational structure, including the transition to the West Essex unitary authority.

Reasons for the decision

The report sought Cabinet adoption of the suite of supporting operational policies that sit beneath the Housing Asset Management, Development and Growth (AMDG) Policy endorsed by Cabinet: the Asset Management Policy, the Capital Works and Stock Investment Delivery Policy, the Planned Maintenance Policy, the Contractor Management Policy and the Property Services Performance Management Framework. Together they translate the strategic intent of the AMDG Policy and the AMDG Strategy into the operational rules, standards and controls applied every day across the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) stock. 

Alternative options considered

None.