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RESOLVED:
Cabinet:

a)    
Approved Option 3 as the preferred phased approach for
bringing management of its housing services from NPH back into the
Council, enabling a structured transition of some corporate and
“back office” services into WNC in April 2026, followed
by the remaining services with a completion date of no later than
April 2027. This approach balanced service continuity, regulatory
compliance, organisational stability and helps manage any
risks.

b)    
Delegated authority to the Executive Director of Resources,
in consultation with the Director of Communities and Opportunities,
to approve the budget of £490k from the appropriate Housing
Revenue Account Reserves to cover the estimated costs of
implementation of the transition of services from NPH back into
WNC. 
 
REASONS
RESOLVED:
 

1)    
A medium-term approach allows for a more structured and
planned transition, minimising disruption to services and ensuring
a smooth transfer of responsibilities. This approach enables the
Council to embed learnings and improvement actions from inspections
and commissioned reports into the housing services before taking
over direct management. It also offers opportunities for using
phased approaches to ensure closer oversight, and strategic
alignment.

2)    
It aligns the full transfer of services and functions to the
go live of a new WNC housing management system and a financial year
end.

3)    
The recommended approach still allows for some level of cost
and productivity savings by working with NPH and its Board to
reduce any duplication of contracts/services and increasing support
services provided by WNC.

4)    
It allows for the continuation of positive joint working
between the Council and NPH during the transition period and
continuing to lever in the expertise of individuals on the NPH
Board and sharing of valuable knowledge and experience across the
housing system. Working collaboratively with NPH during this
critical time of improvement fosters a cooperative environment and
enhances the overall effectiveness of the transition.

5)    
A full financial appraisal and cost-benefit analysis has been
conducted to ensure that the financial implications of the
transition are thoroughly understood and managed. This helps in
making informed decisions about resource allocation and investment
in housing services.

6)    
These reasons support the recommended approach of focusing on
improvement at NPH before transitioning their services to direct
Council management, in the medium term, ensuring a smooth and
effective transition while maintaining service quality.
 
ALTERNATIVE
OPTIONS:
 
WNC has several
options for consideration. An overarching consideration throughout
these options is that in the short and medium term, the issues in
relation to compliance for both NPH and WNC and issues in the wider
system will remain. Improvement, development and intervention
across a range of areas will be required and the process and
consequences of shifting the operating model needs to be considered
against what is an already stressed system.
 
The Council has
therefore explored the following 3 options:
 
Options:
1 – Do
nothing - Retain the ALMO and continue to work alongside NPH to
improve services
2 - Cease
operation of the ALMO and ‘lift and shift’ services
currently managed by NPH into the Council “as is” (by
April 2026)
3 – Cease
operation of the ALMO and bring services currently managed by NPH
over to the Council in a phased approach (by April 2027)