Hertfordshire County Council backs plans to 'dispose' of dozens of properties

In the past, the county council has offered housing to a small number of staff as “a recruitment or retention tool” – with secure tenancies providing those staff with longer-term security and legal protections.

The terms of the secure tenancy mean that so long as the tenant complies with the terms of their agreement, they cannot be evicted without a valid legal reason. And they also include succession of tenancy for spouses or partners, family members and others who occupy the property at the time of the tenant’s death, subject to conditions.

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, it was reported that the county council – which is not itself a housing authority – currently has 35 of these properties. And councillors agreed that council officers could now work towards the disposal of these properties, as part of a process that requires the support of the majority of tenants and the go-ahead from the Secretary of State.

Four of the properties are occupied by tenants within the council’s rural estate and will not be considered for disposal. Speaking in support of the proposal, executive member for resources and performance Cllr Chris Lucas (Liberal Democrat, Hitchin South) stressed that there was no intention “to be turfing anybody out or kicking anybody out of their tenancies”.

Instead, he said it would move the assets off the council’s list of assets and place them with an organisation that was in a better position to manage the tenancies.

And he said: “We’re not just simply looking to offload these tenancies onto the organisation that gives us the best deal. The best deal would mean the best deal for the tenants as well. And that’s certainly something we are taking into consideration as we look to disposal.”

According to the report presented to councillors at the meeting, 16 of the 31 properties were managed by Peabody until October 2023, when Carter Jonas took over the management.

The remaining 15 properties are managed by Watford Community Housing Trust (WCHT) through a commercial lease arrangement. The income received offsets the basic management and maintenance costs, according to the report, giving the county council a £176,000 annual net income in the year ending 31 March 2025.

But the report does indicate that the properties now require investment to bring them up to Housing Health and Safety Rating Standards (HHSRS).

The estimated costs of that work were not published but were circulated privately to members of the cabinet in so-called private Part II papers. At the meeting, it was also reported to councillors that tenants have been consulted on the plans, with 72% responding to the consultation run by Kanda Consulting.

And it was reported to councillors that, based on the responses, the consultants suggested that it was likely that a ballot on the stock transfer “would be positive”.

The cabinet also considered an option to retain and invest in the properties. But the officers’ report presented to the meeting suggested there was insufficient income from the rents to cover the level of spending required to make improvements.

And it was not recommended by officers due to the additional investment required and the lack of capital funds available to proceed with upgrades and repairs for what is a non-statutory service.

Despite councillors’ backing for the plan, ultimately the council will only be able to go ahead with the ‘disposal’ if a majority of the tenants vote to proceed with the disposal. And the council would also require the go-ahead of the Secretary of State.