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RESOLVED: Cabinet decided that
an in-house team manage the housing allocations service and deliver
the Council’s single housing allocations scheme for West
Northamptonshire.
 
REASONS RESOLVED:

·        
A single, comprehensive triage and assessment
process could be created within the council for customers/residents
in housing need. 

·        
Having a single allocations function should deliver
a clear customer journey regardless of what part of West Northants
you live in/have a local connection to.  An in-house
allocations function sat alongside the homelessness service should
create an improved customer journey for customers who need support
from both services as they will be in the same
organisation/team. 

·        
There should be fewer
opportunities for customers to ‘fall between the gaps’
of the allocations & homelessness services. 

·        
The council will have
increased control of a service provided
in-house. 

·        
The skills, expertise and knowledge relating to Part
6 of the Housing Act 1996and housing allocations are retained
within the council. 

·        
The housing
allocations would be co-located with related functions:?
homelessness; disabled adaptations; community safety especially
Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence work; Adult Social Care;
Children’s Trust. 
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
 
Option 1:  Continue
existing arrangements 

·        
Under this option NPH would continue to provide the
housing allocations service in the Northampton locality and WNC
provide the service in rural West Northants. 
 
Option 2:  NPH manage
housing allocations for the whole of West
Northants 

·        
Under this option NPH would manage the housing
allocations for the whole of West Northants administrative
area. 
 
Option 3:  Bring the
housing allocations function in-house within West Northamptonshire
Council 

·        
Under this option WNC would manage the housing
allocations for the whole of West Northants administrative
area.