Issue - meetings

To consider and to recommend to the Council the proposed Housing Revenue Account budget, the proposed rent levels and other charges, the maintenance programme and proposed Housing Public Sector Capital Programme for 2019/20 – 2021/22.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed planned maintenance and improvement works programme for 2019/20 – 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 2 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet, be approved.

RECOMMENDED:

That:

(a)       the HRA budget, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report item 9 to the Cabinet, be agreed;

(b)     with effect from 01 April 2019, a reduction in rents of 1% from the 2018/19 weekly rent level, in accordance with Government requirements, be agreed;

(c)     with effect from 01 April 2019, an increase of 40p per week (plus VAT where applicable) in garage rents be agreed; and

(d)     a Housing Capital Programme to 2021/22, as set out in Appendix 3 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet, be agreed.

Members considered the proposed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget, the proposed rent levels and other charges, the maintenance programme and a proposed Housing Public Sector Capital Programme for 2019/20 – 2021/22.  Members recalled that a review of service charges to be applied had been considered separately under Report Item 4 on the agenda.

It was noted that this was the final year of the required reduction of 1% in housing rents and it was anticipated that in the following 5 year period increases of CPI + 1% would be allowed.  The average weekly rent for 2019/20 would be £97.93.

It was proposed that garage rents would be increased by 40 pence per week (4%), plus VAT where applicable.  Rents had remained unchanged since April 2014.

The estimated income within the Housing Revenue Account was set out in Section 3 of the report, with the proposed expenditure set out in Section 4.  This included details of any changes within the funding and expenditure streams.  The proposals represented a balanced budget with no change to the reserve balance, which would be retained at £1 million, as set out in Section 5 of the report.  The HRA Account budget was set out in Appendix 1 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet.

The proposed maintenance programme for 2019/20, amounting to £8.095 million, together with indicative proposals for the following 4 years, was set out in Appendix 2 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet.

The proposed Capital Programme was set out in Section 6 and Appendix 3 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet.  The capital expenditure programme totalled £19.415 million to be met from revenue, capital receipts, the acquisitions and development reserve and government grant.  The Council’s new Housing Strategy sought to provide 600 new affordable homes during the period 2018-2026 and the Council was in a sound financial position to deliver this objective.

Members were advised that the Tenants’ Involvement Group has recognised that this represented a well-managed budget with a focus on making improvements for all tenants.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed planned maintenance and improvement works programme for 2019/20 – 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 2 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet, be approved.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       That the HRA budget, as set out in Appendix 1 to Report item 9 to the Cabinet, be agreed;

(b)     That with effect from 01 April 2019, a reduction in rents of 1% from the 2018/19 weekly rent level, in accordance with Government requirements, be agreed;

(c)     That with effect from 01 April 2019, an increase of 40p per week (plus VAT where applicable) in garage rents be agreed; and

(d)     That a Housing Capital Programme to 2021/22, as set out in Appendix 3 to Report Item 9 to the Cabinet, be agreed.