Decisions

The Mayor of Bristol has set out the objective of delivering 2,000 new homes, 800 affordable, each year. In response to this the Council allocated £57m for the provision of a grant funding programme to Registered Providers, and other eligible non-profit making organisations, for the delivery of affordable homes for rent together with supplementary grants to incentivise the development of zero carbon affordable homes, the adoption of modular housing and the building of wheelchair accessible homes. This award relates to the 22nd round of grant funding by the Council under the Affordable Housing Funding Policy (current version approved by Cabinet on the 2nd April 2019).

Approves the grant allocation to United Communities Housing Association of £2,750,000 for the development of 30 affordable rented homes (£2,250,000) and a supplementary grant (£500,000), in accordance with the Affordable Housing Funding Policy. The supplementary grant providing for the installation, for the whole scheme (of 50 affordable homes in total), a high level of insulation to improve airtightness (equivalent to Passivhaus standards) and connection to the city centre heat network. This decision is made under delegated authority for the award of grant (including those in excess of £500,00) to support the delivery of affordable housing approved by Cabinet on 7th March 2017 and supersedes any previous decision in relation to this scheme.

To enable release of sites specifically to the community led housing sector via an open, transparent bidding process for the delivery of community led housing to meet Corporate objectives of taking an ‘asset-based community development’ approach to work with communities and partners to transfer assets and power to greater numbers of people so they have more involvement. To support community build housing offering local communities, Community Land Trusts, local builders, eco-homes and self-builds the chance to identify land and empty buildings for redevelopment and bring forward appropriate Council land to kick-start development

To dispose of land to community groups in line with the Community Led Housing Land Disposal Policy.
The decision was taken to approve preferred bidder status to community groups and to dispose of land to these groups subject to schemes being further developed and subject to satisfactory planning consent as detailed below:
a)to approve the award of preferred bidder status for six community groups as follows:
1.Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust - Land at 14-16 Constable Road, Lockleaze
2.Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust - Land at 26-32 Constable Road, Lockleaze
3.Hillfields Family and Community Trust - Land neighbouring Hillfields Park Community Centre
4.Furze (Fully Mutual) Housing Co-operative - Land at Rowlandson Gardens, Lockleaze
5.The Tiny House Community Benefits Society -Land at Sea Mills Training Centre, Sea Mills
6.Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust - Land at Turner Gardens, Lockleaze
b)to delegate authority for Officers to work with the groups to progress the schemes to full planning consent.
c)to delegate authority to Officers to dispose of the sites to the six community groups at the bid price subject to retaining the integrity in principle of the bid proposals and subject to full planning consent being granted.

District Heating Systems require a specific expertise and BC needs to procure this expertise from external organisations to ensure that the correct technical and commercial decisions are being taken in relation to the construction and commissioning of the District Heating Systems and that compliant documentation is produced for an effective handover to operations.
In this case it was decided that the best way of procuring this expertise was through Sustainable Energy due to the previous work they had carried out on these systems and that this would mean that design integrity and indemnity would be maintained for these works.

Approval to award work to Sustainable Energy.
The Energy Service has several District Heat Network Projects at an advanced stage of construction, involving commissioning, starting operation and handing over to the Operating Company. The conceptual and detailed design of these projects has been carried out by Sustainable Energy, and the decision has been made to award work to Sustainable Energy to review the installed construction, commission, accept and handover the projects to the BCC Operations Team.

To accelerate the provision of housing to meet the Mayor’s target of making sure that 2,000 new homes – 800 affordable – are built in Bristol each year by 2020.

That the Executive Director of Growth and Regeneration, the Section 151 Officer and the Mayor with responsibility for Housing (with appropriate legal and procurement advice) approves entering into contract with BoKlok Housing (`direct’ award) for the development of 79 affordable homes.

This project is being set up to address digital poverty in Bristol, exacerbated by Covid 19, which means that people without digital devises, data and basic skills face significant barriers to education, training and employment – as well as access to wider services and social connections, particularly for more vulnerable people who are isolated as a result of shielding. In Bristol’s most deprived areas, where many people may have a mobile phone, there is anecdotal evidence that many households lack a computer, laptop or tablet, access to broadband, as well as the confidence and skills to fully utilise these digital devises.
To address this critical issue in a timely manner, Bristol City Council is proposing to allocate £250K Covid funding to cleanse and distribute recycled Council laptops to identified priority individuals, as well as providing data and support, so that recipients can gain the confidence and skills they need to get online safely and to improve their access to education, training and employment, as well as improved social contact and access to services.
As outlined above, in line with Council policy, this decision falls within criteria for Officer Executive Decision Records.
This has been identified as an OED as the decision involves a resource commitment of between £100,000 and £499,999 and has not been deemed to be a key decision by virtue of its significant impact on two or more wards.

To authorise the allocation of £250,000 Covid funding to the Tackling Digital Poverty in Bristol project so that recycled BCC laptops can be cleansed and distributed to priority individuals experiencing digital poverty, exacerbated as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.

To ensure that the Community Led Housing Land Disposal Policy is fit for purpose.
Cabinet approved the Community Led Housing Land Disposal Policy on the 4th February 2020. The policy enables the Council to allocate land specifically for housing delivery via community groups. This decision amends that policy so that Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies registered both before and after the introduction of The Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 are eligible.

In consultation with Executive Member Cllr Cheney to amend the criteria for the Council’s Community Led Housing Land Disposal Policy to correct it in terms of the legal forms of eligible Co-operative Societies