Issue - meetings

Council considered a report presented by Councillor John Ritchie, Portfolio Holder for Devolution which sought approval for a 5 year contract with Capita Business Services for the ongoing annual support of the Housing Management System and One System upgrade. The Open Housing IT system went live in September 2020 and provided the management and maintenance of the Council’s housing stock and tenancies which comprised 5,000 properties, garage sites and leasehold properties.

The more stringent requirements of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 imposed a greater governance and data driven approach to the safety, maintenance and improvement of the Council’s Housing Stock and assets. In response “Open Housing” had been upgraded and rebranded as “One Housing” and included the additional modules to ensure greater evidence of compliance with the latest legislative requirements and for the Regulator for Social Housing Consumer Standards.

The Executive on 14^th April 2025 approved the new 5 year contract with Capita Business Services for the ongoing annual support of the Housing Management System and for One System upgrade. However, Council was required to approve the inclusion of the this on the capital programme.

The cost of the 5-year contract included the annual licence and maintenance support, purchase and implement of additional modules and the upgrade to “One Housing” was £464,599.65. The ongoing annual support of £274,879.65 could be contained within existing revenue budgets and the Capital expenditure of £189,720 could be funded by available capital receipts however, this needed to be approved by Council to be added to the capital programme.

Councillor Deborah Watson queried why a 5 year contract was being approved by the Executive when it was likely that Bolsover District Council was unlikely to exist and that it was a large commitment from the capital programme. Councillor John Ritchie stated that the dissolution of Bolsover District Council within that period of time was not a certainty and it was likely that the decision for a 5 year contract provided better terms than shorter periods. Councillor Steve Fritchley added that whilst he understood Councillor Deborah Watson’s concerns it was likely to take longer than 5 years to make the proposed changes to the authority and that housing services would still continue even if Bolsover District Council ceased to exist.

Moved by Councillor John Ritchie and seconded by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders RESOLVED that approval be given for the capital programme to be           updated to include the capital costs of the One Housing system upgrade.