Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Reporting Accountant for Housing Benefit Assurance Process
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Executive Decision Notice – 10 August 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision Reporting Accountant for Housing Benefit Assurance
Process
Reference No. 2026/1752
Date of decision Monday 10 August 2026
Call-in expiry date Monday 17 August 2026
Relevant Select
Committee
Audit, Finance & Performance (Scrutiny)
Relevant Wards All Wards
Decision made
Cabinet Members making
the decision
Councillor Eddie Lavery – Cabinet Member for Finance
Decision Agreed
That the Cabinet Member for Finance:
1. Accept the award of contract to Constellia Public
Ltd for the Statement of Works with KPMG LLP
following a mini competition, for the provision of
Reporting Accountant Services for the statutory
Housing Benefit Assurance Process (HBAP),
covering the financial years 2024/25 to 2026/27,
starting from 1 September 2026 and at an
expected minimum cost of £118,662;
2. Delegate approval of any future variation or
extension to the Corporate Director of Finance, in
consultation with the Cabinet Member of Finance,
strictly within approved budgets.
Reason for decision Following the withdrawal of the Council’s current Reporting
Accountant (EY) from the HBAP audit market, the Council is
required to appoint a suitably qualified Reporting
Accountant to certify its annual Housing Benefit Subsidy
claim by 30 November, in accordance with Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP) requirements.
A compliant and competitive procurement exercise has
been undertaken with external support via procurement
solutions provider Constellia. The recommended bidder
represents the most economically advantageous tender,
taking into account both quality and price.
Executive Decision Notice – 10 August 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Approval of this recommendation will ensure statutory
compliance and enable the timely submission of the subsidy
claim, thereby protecting the Council’s funding position.
Alternative options
considered and rejected
The alternative options were considered and rejected. Open
market procurement would increase cost and timescales,
extending the current contract is not possible, and doing
nothing or ceasing activity would fail to meet the Council’s
statutory obligations and risk loss of DWP funding.
Classification Part II – Members Only and Not for Publication
Link to associated report That this report be declared as exempt from publication as
it involves the disclosure of information in accordance with
Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12
(A) to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), in that
the report contains information relating to the financial or
business affairs of any particular person (including the
authority holding that information) and that the public
interest in withholding the information outweighs the public
interest in disclosing it.
Relevant Officer contact
& Directorate
Sulma Ali, Revenues & Benefits Improvements Manager
Andrew Macleod, Chief Accountant
Any interest declared by
the Cabinet Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Monday 17 August 2026
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their
devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought
from Democratic Services if required:
Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure)
Executive Decision Notice – 10 August 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
Democratic Services
London Borough of Hillingdon
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