Council decisions

The Developers, Inglis Consortium LLP applied to the Council for planning permission which was granted on 22 September 2011.

Reserved matter application seeking approval for advance infrastructure works in relation to Phase 2a of Millbrook Park (Mill hill East), comprising ground re-profiling and construction of new roads with associated multi-utility infrastructure, pursuant to outline planning permission H/04017/09, condition 5b dated 22/09/11.

This phase of the development gains access from the main link road currently being constructed as part of the previously agreed DPR No. 1744, 27 July 2012. The section that the bus turnaround area will connect to, has already been constructed. This road will eventually link directly with Bittacy Hill when a later phase is completed.

Relevant drawings for the proposed road adoption agreement as well as other general correspondence with the developer, are held by the Traffic & Development Section, Development and Regulatory Services.

Reserved matter application seeking approval for advance infrastructure works in relation to Phase 2a of Millbrook Park (Mill hill East), comprising ground re-profiling and construction of new roads with associated multi-utility infrastructure, pursuant to outline planning permission H/04017/09, condition 5b dated 22/09/11.

1.    To authorise the acquisition by the Council of a leasehold unit as identified in the separate exempt report and in accordance with the agreed terms set out therein.

2.    To authorise the release of funds for the completion of the purchase, and for the associated repair costs to facilitate the use of this property as temporary accommodation.

Under the terms of the Regeneration Agreement for Dollis Valley the resident leaseholders on the estate have been offered the option of reinvesting the value of their existing properties into a shared equity purchase of a new home on the estate, under which agreement the Council would purchase and hold the balance of the equity.

Five leaseholders currently occupying properties in phase 3 of the development have opted to take up the Council’s offer and the Council now needs to provide the funding of the equity that it will retain in these five homes so that its development partner, Countryside, can complete the sales and move the leaseholders out of the homes which will need to be demolished for the next phase. The funding of the equity will be in accordance with the regeneration agreement. The value of the council’s shared equity and associated contributions in respect of stamp duty land tax will be to the development partner or paid in a lump sum to Countryside on completion of each property purchase.

1.    That in accordance with the resolution of Assets Regeneration and Growth Committee dated 12^th December  2016 and the terms of the Regeneration Agreement dated 1^st October 2012 made between the Council and Countryside Properties (UK) limited (CPUK), the Council agrees to enter into shared equity mortgages of the five newly constructed properties on the redeveloped Dollis Valley estate detailed at paragraphs 1.9 and 1.10 of this report and will pay  the value of the Council’s equity share to CPUK along with a sum in respect of the stamp duty land tax payable for each property in proportion to the Council’s equity share.

This report agrees the following:

That the Commissioning Director-Growth and Development agrees to procuring the services of a Surveyor for work on housing enforcement related cases including properties purchased through CPO for a period of two years, with an option to extend for a further year subject to performance and budget. The contract value will not exceed £164,000.

The regeneration of the Stonegrove and Spur Road was approved by the Council in 2007.  The chosen development partner is a joint venture between Barratts and Family Mosaic Housing association know as Barratt Evolution LLP (BMLLP).

Under the terms of the development agreement, subject to meeting the conditions precedent, BMLLP can call for the Council to transfer its freehold interest in the land on a phase by phase basis. Prior to the transfer the Council must appropriate it from Housing to Planning.

This DPR seeks authority to appropriate land to planning and to transfer these next phases to BMLLP.

1.    That in accordance with the resolution of Cabinet 18th June 2007 and the provisions of Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972, the land shown outlined red on the attached plan 4429_14001_10 is hereby appropriated to planning purposes.

2.    That in accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet Decision of 18th June 2007 and the terms of the Principal Development Agreement dated 24th September 2008 between the Council and Barratt Evolution LLP, the Council consents to the transfer of the land shown outline red on the attached plan 4429_14001_10 to Barratt Evolution Limited.

This is a list of decisions taken under delegated powers in the month of November 2016.

Urgent Summary DPRs 2nd and 4^th November 2016.

Approval of two Summary DPRs:-

1.    2^nd November  - West Hendon Estate – Development Stage Works licence for Phase  3b and Phase 3c

2.    4^th November - Mill Hill East Phase 5 Land Sale

The Council’s Housing Strategy sets out that the Council will operate a rents policy that reflects national rent policy, and this report sets out in more detail how this will operate in Barnet.

To note the feedback following the consultation on the draft Housing Strategy.

The Committee considered the Housing Strategy which set out the strategic housing priorities for the borough and how they would be achieved over the next 10 years.  The Committee were requested to approve the Commissioning Plan and Housing Strategy. 

During debate, Councillor Houston MOVED a motion which was duly seconded as follows:

Replace recommendation 1 with:

1.         That Council approve the final Housing Strategy at Appendix A, with the following additions:

That the Housing Strategy should:

·       Set out specific targets for delivering at least 50% affordable housing on developments on council-owned land, including a specific target of 50% to be social rented housing

·       Commit the council to developing a Supplementary Planning Document that sets out clear expectations on value in viability reports, including that viability calculations should be transparent and public. 

·       Commit the council to establish a policy on the local marketing of properties to minimise off-plan sales.  

·       Specify that where the council must transfer land to secure delivery of affordable housing it should have a long-term interest in the land eg. through retaining the freehold, keeping a long term equity stake in the value uplift of the land by adding covenants on disposal, and look at long term payback arrangements on private sector-led development.

·       Set out that on the regeneration schemes the same number of council homes as were originally there prior to the start of regeneration should be provided as a minimum.

·       Ensure that all longstanding non-secure temporary tenants on Barnet’s regeneration estates should be granted secure tenancies.

·       Look at developing  new intermediate rent and low cost home-ownership products, for example: 

·       Set out additional actions to improve standards in private rented sector, including: 

·       Investigate setting up a social lettings agency to offer a quality management service to private landlords for letting their properties at either market rent or affordable rent with the service either free of charge for tenants.

·       Investigate working with Housing Associations to bring empty/non-decent properties into the public housing sector.

·       Any acquisitions should prioritise purchases in borough.

Replace recommendation 2 with:

2.         That the Committee approve the final Commissioning Plan at Appendix B, with any appropriate amendments following from the amended recommendation 1.

Having been put to the vote the Committee voted:

For: 4

Against: 5

Abstain: 0

The Motion was therefore LOST.

The Chairman moved to the vote on the recommendations as set out in the report.  Votes were recorded as follows

For: 5

Against: 4

Abstain: 0

Immediately following the vote, Councillor Houston moved to refer the item to the next practicable meeting of Full Council in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.3 of Responsibility for Functions.  The reason given for the request to refer the item was:

“Housing is the central issue in Barnet. It is the second highest concern in the Residents Perception Survey. The proposed Labour Group amendments would have given the Strategy far more ambition in terms of affordable housing in the borough. It is appropriate that Full Council considers the Strategy.”

The Committee Members supporting the referral were:

Councillor Houston

Councillor Langleben

Councillor McGuirk

Councillor Roberts

RESOLVED that having received the requisite number of support for referral, the item will be placed on the agenda for consideration by Full Council. 

This report sets out what is required from Barnet Council – across a range of services including housing and social care - in order to achieve the Council’s commitment to resettle 50 refugees in Barnet as part of the Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Person Relocation (VPR) scheme. The report provides background to the VPR scheme and how the Council will work with the Government to welcome and accommodate the 50 refugees and register them with the appropriate universal and specialist services in the borough.  The report also sets out how the Council will assess the potential need for further support in order to meet the requirements of the scheme and the standards of service offered to all Barnet residents.

The report presents financial modelling of the potential costs to the Council of participation in the VPR scheme, based on initial assumptions about the size and potential requirements of those resettled – which will be subject to change based on actual referrals - and analysis of how these compare with the funding committed by Government to cover costs of resettlement for the first year of the scheme. The report also looks ahead to subsequent years. The Government has committed to providing funding for years 2-5 (in line with the period of 5 years Humanitarian Protection status that will be granted to refugees). The level of funding available in years 2-5 is yet to be finalised, although the Government has committed to making funding available to cover this period.  The Council is in close contact with the Home Office and expects to receive confirmation imminently.

Reflecting the degree of uncertainty about the potential financial implications – particularly over the longer-term if the circumstances of those resettled were to change - the report recommends the earmarking of a £100,000 contingency, allocated from the risk reserve.  The size of the contingency fund will be kept under review and is intended to help meet the potential costs of delivering the VPR scheme in future years without placing an undue financial burden on service budgets.

Due to the urgent nature of the decision, the Chief Executive has utilised the urgent provisions in the Constitution to approve the earmarking of a contingency in order for the Council to move as quickly as possible to begin accepting referrals from the Government as it meets the commitment to resettle 50 Syrian refugees in the borough, reflecting the degree of urgency required and the preference of Members to respond as quickly as possible.

The attached document is a summary of decisions taken under delegated powers in August.

Variation to DPR published on 29^th April 2015

Under the DPR the Council approved (inter alia)

3.       That in accordance with the resolution of Assets Regeneration and Growth Committee dated 8th September 2014 and the terms of the Development Agreement dated 1st October 2012 between the Council and Countryside Properties (UK) Limited, the Council agrees enter into shared equity mortgages in respect of the five newly constructed properties on the redeveloped estate identified at paragraph 1.10 below

On phase 1 the Council has agreed to enter into shared equity mortgages on 7 homes, 5 of which are awaiting completion. Under the terms of the shared equity agreements the council will hold a percentage of the value of the home and it has been agreed that stamp duty land tax will be paid on a proportional basis with the council being responsible for payment of the SDLT on its equity holding.

The actual amount payable may increase slightly  dependent on the final sale price at completion, but the provisional amount of SDLT that the Council will pay has been assessed at £50,137.50

This variation to the DPR seeks authority to Complete the Mortgage agreements and to pay the Stamp Duty Land tax due on each property in proportion to the equity interest retained by the Council  up to a maximum of £52,000

The Principal Development Agreement (PDA) for the regeneration of the Stonegrove and Spur Road Estates was approved by Cabinet on 18 June 2007 and was varied by a Deed of Variation on 25 March 2008.

Resolution 3 of the decision of Cabinet on 18th June 2007 stated that subject to the final terms of the Principal Development Agreement and legal arrangements being approved by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development under Delegated Powers; that the necessary legal documentation be completed in order for the scheme to proceed.

Under the terms of the PDA with Barratt Evolution LLP Barratts the Council has entered into an agreement that BELLP can call for a Development Stage Works License (DSWL) to commence construction on each phase of the site until they reach a point where they can call for a drawdown of the land.

BELLP has called for a works licence for the final phases, 7 & 8, as shown on the attached plan 12369_05_29-A and this DPR requests authority to enter into the DSWL as required under the terms of the PDA.

There are no financial implications to granting this DSWL and all costs are recovered from Barratts under the terms of the PDA.